North Miami-Dade News

Washington, D.C. - House Foreign Affairs, Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Chairwoman María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) have spoken out against Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro's recent actions against opposition candidate María Corina Machado. In a joint statement, the lawmakers condemned Maduro's decision to nullify the results of the Venezuelan opposition primary elections held on October 22, 2023.

Salazar and Wasserman Schultz expressed their strong condemnation of the regime-controlled court's suspension of the democratic opposition's primary election process. They emphasized the significance of this process, which mobilized 2.4 million Venezuelan voters to nominate Machado as the opposition candidate for the 2024 presidential election. The lawmakers called this assault on democracy a severe breach of democratic principles and a clear violation of the Maduro regime's agreement with the opposition Unitary Platform and the Biden Administration.

The lawmakers highlighted the criminalization of the legitimate political process, which was overseen by independent election observers and conducted in compliance with international norms. They pointed out that this move reflects the regime's disdain for genuine electoral independence and its repression of political opponents. The Maduro regime has previously banned opposition candidates and parties, demonstrating a pattern of suppressing dissent.

Of particular concern to Salazar and Wasserman Schultz is the court's requirement for the independent National Primary Commission to hand over documents identifying Venezuelan voters. They stressed the gravity of this demand, considering the regime's history of retaliating against dissent through arbitrary imprisonment, extrajudicial killings, torture, marginalization, and denial of social services. The lawmakers expressed horror at the possibility that Venezuelan-Americans who participated in the primary vote, including many of their constituents, could become targets of the regime.

In light of these developments, Salazar sent a letter to the Biden Administration urging the reimposition of sanctions on the brutal Maduro regime. The letter demands that Biden enforce the terms of the October 17 agreement, which promised the reimposition of sanctions in the event of a violation. Salazar emphasized the importance of ensuring that Machado has the opportunity to run in a free and fair election. The lawmakers called for every effort to be made to protect Venezuelan voters, including Venezuelan-Americans, from retaliation for exercising their right to vote.

The Biden Administration is now being urged to use all available tools to address the situation and enforce the terms of the agreement. Salazar and Wasserman Schultz emphasized the need for forceful action to protect democracy in Venezuela and ensure that Machado can participate in a fair electoral process.

To learn more, click on this link: https://salazar.house.gov/media/press-releases/salazar-and-wasserman-schultz-condemn-maduros-attacks-maria-corina-machado-and