WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Carlos Gimenez with U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Marco Rubio (R-Florida), along with U.S. Representatives, Maria Salazar (R-Florida-27), and Jared Moskowitz (D-Florida-23) this week introduced a bipartisan, bicameral resolution to condemn the illegitimate regime of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.

This resolution is in response to Nicolas Maduro’s illegitimate regime committing numerous criminal, anti-democratic, unconstitutional, and corrupt acts and violating basic human rights, including:

• Embezzling billions of dollars from the Venezuelan people through the illicit removal of gold from the Central Bank of Venezuela;
• Declaring approximately 12 percent of the country to be a part of an “Orinoco Mining Arc” and using his position to oversee the exploitation of vital resources for personal gain; and
• Establishing the Special Action Force of the National Police (FAES) in 2017 and utilizing them to execute illegal raids and extrajudicial killings.

“I’m proud to join my colleagues Senators Graham (R-SC) and Rubio (R-FL) and Representatives Salazar (R-FL) and Moskowitz (D-FL) in introducing this resolution to support the democratic opposition in Venezuela and their fight for freedom,” said Rep. Gimenez. “The illegitimate Maduro regime has threatened, intimidated, and silenced its people. With their national elections just a month away, we must condemn their blatant attack on democracy. The Venezuelan people are determined to live in a free Venezuela and the U.S. must help them in their fight for freedom.”

“I hope that the United States will go on the record condemning the efforts by Maduro to undercut a free and fair election yet again in Venezuela,” said Senator Graham. “He has taken actions inconsistent with a free and fair election and he is marginalizing the opposition. I urge the Biden Administration to up their game when it comes to deterring Maduro’s attempt to once again destroy the pending Venezuelan election. The Venezuelan people deserve better.”

“The criminal Maduro narco-regime will stop at nothing to maintain its illegitimate grip on power as it continues to target members of the opposition and undermine free and fair elections in Venezuela,” said Senator Rubio. “Our partners worldwide must remain firm in their call for the release of all political prisoners who are currently being tortured by this illegitimate dictatorship.”

“As the Maduro regime does everything in its power to steal the presidential election from María Corina Machado and Edmundo González, we in the United States Congress stand strong against his tyranny,” said Rep. Salazar. “I am proud to support this resolution that denounces how Maduro is trying to lie, cheat and steal his way to staying in power. I pray the Venezuelans retake Miraflores in July.”

“The Venezuelan people are suffering under Maduro's illegitimate regime. If there is overwhelming evidence of fraud in Venezuela's upcoming election, the Biden Administration must condemn and hold Maduro accountable. This regime cannot weaponize institutions to hold sham elections and take away basic rights from the people of Venezuela,” said Rep. Moskowitz.
 

This resolution:

• Rejects the attempt by the illegitimate Maduro regime to hold sham elections and consolidate power through weaponizing institutions, especially the electoral committee and judicial system;
• Demands that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela hold free and fair elections on July 28, 2024, and allow all opposition candidates, including Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, to register on the ballot and participate in the elections in compliance with the Partial Agreement on the Promotion of Political Rights and Electoral Guarantees for All (commonly known as the “Barbados Agreement”);
• Denounces any attempt by the illegitimate Maduro regime to intimidate and repress the Venezuelan people and its democratic candidates through any kind of violence;
• Condemns the illegitimate Maduro regime for the flagrant and repeated acts of corruption, desecrating the rule of law, and engaging in anti-democratic and criminal acts; and
• Encourages the Administration to condemn the results of the Venezuelan election on July 28, 2024, if fraud occurs, and to subsequently impose additional sanctions on Maduro and the coconspirators in his illegitimate regime to ensure they are unable to profit through their illegal and corrupt activities.

To read the full resolution text, click HERE.

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Congressman Carlos Giménez is the only Cuban-born Member of Congress, having fled the island with his family shortly after the communist takeover. He represents Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys. He is the Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security, and serves on the Armed Services Committee, and the Select Committee on China.