Cardin, McCaul, Kaine, Rubio, Salazar Condemn Maduro Regime for Undermining Democracy in Venezuelan Election

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, RepresentativeMichael McCaul (R-Texas), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Representative Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) issued a joint statement condemning the Maduro regime for undermining the will of the Venezuelan people during recent elections.

"As Chairs of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Chairs and Ranking Members of our respective Western Hemisphere Subcommittees, we stand united in condemning the Maduro regime's ongoing attempts to blatantly undermine the will of the Venezuelan people, pushing the country deeper into a political and humanitarian crisis.

"Credible independent electoral observers' assessments following Sunday's election undermine the National Electoral Council's fraudulent and unverifiable declaration that Maduro won the election. The overwhelming evidence, including an estimated 80 percent of vote tallies published online, clearly indicates that the Maduro regime is actively attempting to conceal the truth that Edmundo González is the rightful President-elect of Venezuela.

"Despite deploying nearly every tactic of authoritarianism to undermine the electoral process and secure a regime victory, the Maduro regime could not deter the Venezuelan people from turning out in droves - peacefully and bravely - to vote for change and a better future. Instead of conceding, the Maduro regime has resorted to what dictatorships do: violently repress its citizens, spread propaganda, and persecute opposition leaders.

"We unequivocally denounce these actions and urge the United States government to be prepared to use all appropriate tools, including targeted sanctions, as leverage to press the Maduro regime to respect the will of the Venezuelan people and enter into immediate negotiations with President-elect Edmundo González and opposition leader María Corina Machado on a peaceful transition of power.

"It will be critical for our democratic partners across the international community - particularly Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, CARICOM, and the EU - to support our shared efforts to secure transparent verification of the electoral results, ensure the safety of Machado, González and other opposition leaders, including those seeking refuge within the Argentine embassy, and facilitate a Venezuelan-led peaceful and democratic transition.

"Together, we must send a clear message to Maduro that the world is watching, and his attempts to overturn the will of the Venezuelan people once again will not stand."

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