Duval Times

U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Ben Cardin (D-MD) have come together to condemn the actions of the Maduro regime in Venezuela. In a joint statement, the senators expressed their concerns about the upcoming presidential elections in Venezuela, which have been marred by the disqualification of opposition candidate María Corina Machado.

According to the senators, Maduro's regime is preventing a truly democratic process by excluding Machado from the elections. They stated, "Maduro is scared to confront her in a truly democratic process. He knows Venezuelans overwhelmingly voted for her in their collective pursuit of a life free from tyranny."

The senators highlighted the lack of fairness in the election process, pointing out that Venezuela's institutions are currently incapable of holding free and fair elections as long as Maduro's cronies control all aspects of the process. They emphasized that the opposition candidate, Machado, who was elected by the majority of primary voters, is being prohibited from running simply because Maduro fears facing her in a democratic election.

In response to these concerns, the senators called for action, stating, "Per the Barbados agreement, the U.S. should reimpose oil sanctions, and refuse to recognize any electoral 'winner' of a process that excluded the Venezuelan people's democratically elected opposition candidate, María Corina Machado."

The joint statement by Rubio, Durbin, Cassidy, and Cardin underscores the ongoing political turmoil in Venezuela and the challenges faced by those striving for democracy in the country.