Duval Times

On September 19, 2024, in Washington, D.C., Senator Rick Scott, joined by Senator Marco Rubio, announced the introduction of the Securing Timely Opportunities for Payment and Maximizing Awards for Detaining Unlawful Regime Officials (STOP MADURO) Act. This legislation proposes increasing the maximum reward from $15 million to $100 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. The reward would be paid using seized assets from Maduro and his associates, not taxpayer funds.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in South Florida and federal law enforcement partners who have filed numerous criminal charges against high-ranking regime officials, asset seizures total approximately $450 million. Representatives Mario Díaz-Balart and Debbie Wasserman Schultz lead complementary bipartisan legislation in the House of Representatives, co-sponsored by Representatives Carlos A. Giménez (FL-28), Jenniffer González Colón (PR-At Large), María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Mike Waltz (FL-06), Chris Smith (NJ-04), and Darren Soto (FL-09).

Senator Rick Scott stated: “Ha llegado el momento de que Venezuela se libere del régimen ilegítimo del dictador Nicolás Maduro... Mi Proyecto de ley STOP MADURO aumentará la recompensa máxima por información que conduzca al arresto y condena de Maduro a 100 millones de dólares.”

Senator Marco Rubio added: “EE.UU. debe hacer más para detener al narco-dictador Nicolás Maduro... esta legislación se basa en ese pedido al aumentar la recompensa por el arresto de Maduro a $100 millones de dólares.”

Representative Mario Díaz-Balart commented: “Por casi dos meses desde las 'elecciones' del 28 de julio... el régimen de Maduro solo ha intensificado su brutal represión.” He further criticized the Biden-Harris Administration’s approach: “En lugar de aliviar las sanciones, la Administración Biden-Harris debería solidarizarse con el pueblo venezolano en su lucha por la libertad aumentando la presión y fortaleciendo sanciones."