Wasserman Schultz, McCaul, Salazar, Moskowitz: Maduro Regime Must Honor Venezuelan Election Results or Face Consequences

Washington, July 26, 2024

As Venezuelans prepare to exercise their right to vote this Sunday, we condemn the Maduro dictatorship’s continued abuse and repression of María Corina Machado, Edmundo González, their staff, human rights advocates, and the Venezuelan free press

Washington DC – U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), co-chair of the Congressional Venezuela Democracy Caucus joined House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (TX-10), Rep. Jared Moskowitz (FL-23),and HFAC Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Chairwoman María Elvira Salazar (FL-27) in issuing the following joint statement ahead of the upcoming presidential election in Venezuela:   

“As Venezuelans prepare to exercise their right to vote this Sunday, we condemn the Maduro dictatorship’s continued abuse and repression of María Corina Machado, Edmundo González, their staff, human rights advocates, and the Venezuelan free press.

“Venezuelans deserve to have their right to self-determination respected. We commend Venezuela’s democratic opposition for their resilience and commitment to nonviolence, despite Maduro’s vicious threats and actions that have rendered this election neither free nor fair.

“We urge the Biden Administration and regional democracies to use all diplomatic and economic tools at their disposal to apply maximum pressure on Maduro to ensure that the election results are honored and to see through a peaceful transfer of power.

“Bipartisan Members of Congress will monitor this Sunday’s election closely. We reaffirm our commitment to robust action at all levels of government in support of the Venezuelan people, including the enactment of legislation to impose new sanctions if the will of Venezuelan voters is undermined by the regime.”