Republican legislators from South Florida have voiced their dissatisfaction with the Biden administration's approach towards the regime of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, which they argue is misguided in its willingness to engage in dialogue with "tyrannies."
In a recent statement, Representatives Mario Díaz-Balart, María Elvira Salazar, and Carlos Giménez reiterated their commitment to pressuring the White House to support the legitimate leaders of the South American country. Díaz-Balart emphasized the need for more decisive support: “We are going to push this administration to stand with Venezuela and its legitimate leaders,” noted the Republican, according to Telemundo 51.
In a social media post, Díaz-Balart added: “We warned Biden that he was strengthening the regime,” referring to the negotiations and the Barbados Agreement which led to the current election outcomes in Venezuela.
For Salazar, the Biden administration's trust in Maduro's regime was naive and counterproductive to the Venezuelans' aspirations for democratic change through transparent elections. “As Republicans, we always knew that giving Maduro the benefit of the doubt was a bad idea,” she asserted.
Giménez, on his part, expressed concerns about the Venezuelan electoral process and the accusations from the Venezuelan Attorney General against María Corina Machado for alleged electoral hacking.
“The ‘Barbados Agreement,’ which the Unified Opposition Platform and Maduro's regime signed in October 2023, facilitated by your administration with the easing of sanctions on Venezuela's lucrative gold and oil industries, was flagrantly violated by Maduro’s regime by continuing to harass, intimidate, and imprison opposition members,” the three Republican congressmen stated in a letter sent to Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
According to the legislators, “the negotiations leading to the agreement gave Maduro's regime valuable time (as often happens with ‘dialogue’ with tyrants) and deceived many into believing the upcoming elections could be free and fair.”
“It should come as no surprise that Maduro’s regime did not relinquish power voluntarily and that yesterday’s farce produced the only outcome a dictator would allow: the continuation of his brutal grip on power,” the Republicans expressed in the letter, while demanding the swift imposition of strong sanctions on Maduro’s regime, especially on those responsible for the fraud.
“The Venezuelan people deserve more than the failed tyranny of Maduro's dictatorship, including a fair count of their votes and an electoral process free from intimidation that allows elected candidates to stand. It is disgraceful that the will of the Venezuelan people has not been respected throughout this fraudulent process. Until then, the only dialogue should be about how to facilitate the rapid and absolute departure of Maduro,” they concluded.
Florida Republicans' Criticism of Biden's Venezuela Policy
Below are some frequently asked questions and answers regarding the criticisms made by Florida Republicans towards the Biden administration's approach to the Maduro regime in Venezuela.
Why are Florida Republicans critical of Biden's approach to Maduro?
Florida Republicans believe that Biden's willingness to engage in dialogue with Maduro's regime is misguided and strengthens the dictatorship instead of promoting democratic change.
What is the Barbados Agreement?
The Barbados Agreement is a pact signed in October 2023 between the Venezuelan opposition and Maduro's regime, facilitated by the Biden administration, which aimed to ease sanctions on Venezuela's gold and oil industries in exchange for democratic reforms.
What actions do the Florida Republicans propose?
They demand the immediate imposition of strong sanctions on Maduro's regime, focusing on those responsible for electoral fraud, and call for measures to ensure a fair and intimidation-free electoral process in Venezuela.