Duval Times

On July 27, 2024, Senator Rick Scott released a statement ahead of Venezuela’s presidential election this Sunday. The regime of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro disqualified the leading opposition candidate, María Corina Machado, from participating in the upcoming presidential elections. Over the last few months, members of Machado’s team have been targeted and even arrested by Maduro's forces.

Senator Rick Scott commented, “If given the opportunity for a truly fair and free election, I believe the people of Venezuela will choose to vote for the future of their country and reject the murderous dictator Nicolás Maduro this Sunday. For too long, Nicolás Maduro and his thugs have deprived the Venezuelan people of this choice by attacking his political opponents, using violence and threats in a desperate attempt to hold onto power over a people that hate him."

Scott emphasized that "This election must be different. Maduro MUST allow the Venezuelan people to finally exercise their right to vote in a free and fair election. President Biden and Vice President Harris have shown nothing but weakness and appeasement toward Maduro and that has fueled his oppression of the Venezuelan people. The Biden-Harris administration must immediately reimpose the sanctions it lifted without any assurances from this murderous regime, and call on Maduro to allow a peaceful transfer of power when a true leader is chosen. The Biden-Harris administration appeasement of Maduro has clearly failed and must end now. We cannot waste this opportunity to advance our fight for democracy in Venezuela. This is a significant moment in the Venezuelan people’s fight for freedom and true representative government. I will continue working alongside the freedom-loving Venezuelan people to bring democracy back to their country.”

Since the Biden-Harris administration's deal with Maduro was first announced, Senator Scott has pressured the White House to support freedom and democracy in Venezuela through various actions:

- Sen. Rick Scott: Reported Biden-Maduro Deal Disastrous for Freedom & Democracy in Venezuela

- Sen. Rick Scott to POTUS: Recognize María Corina Machado, Don't Trust Maduro to Uphold His Election Agreement

- Sen. Rick Scott, Sen. Marco Rubio & Colleagues Introduce Reauthorization to Preserve Sanctions Against Maduro Regime

- Sen. Rick Scott Calls for Passage of Resolution Recognizing María Corina Machado as Venezuela’s Official Presidential Opposition Candidate

- Sen. Rick Scott Leads Rally in Support of Venezuelan Opposition Presidential Candidate María Corina Machado

- Sens. Rick Scott, Marco Rubio & Colleagues: The Time to Act on Venezuela is NOW

- Sen. Rick Scott, Marco Rubio & Colleagues to Biden: Designate Tren de Aragua as a Transnational Criminal Organization

- Sen. Rick Scott Demands President Biden Reimpose Sanctions Against the Maduro Regime

- As Biden Moves to Shut Down NPR-Alaska, Sens. Rick Scott, Dan Sullivan & Colleagues Warn Biden Not To Renew Oil Sanctions Relief For Venezuela’s Dictatorship

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