{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://gimenez.house.gov/2023/12/english-spanish-reps-gimenez-diaz-balart-salazar-introduce-resolution-recognizing-maria-corina-machado-as-the-legitimate-presidential-opposition-candidate-in-venezuela", "(English/Spanish) Reps. Gimenez, Diaz-Balart, Salazar Introduce Resolution Recognizing Maria Corina Machado as the Legitimate Presidential Opposition Candidate in Venezuela", "2023-12-07", "2023", "2023-12", "Republican", "House", "FL", "Carlos A. Gimenez", "G000593", "gimenez.house.gov", "gimenez", "https://gimenez.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Carlos Gimenez, along with Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-26) and Maria Elvira Salazar (FL-27), introduced a House Resolution recognizing Mar\u00eda Corina Machado as the legitimate presidential opposition candidate against Communist Dictator Nicholas Maduro in the upcoming presidential elections.\n\nSenators Rick Scott (FL) and Marco Rubio (FL) introduced a companion Senate Resolution\n\n\u201cThe murderous Maduro regime is threatening, intimidating, and silencing opposition candidate Mar\u00eda Corina Machado,\" said Rep. Carlos Gim\u00e9nez. \"This blatant attack on democracy shows the regime\u2019s desperation in the face of impending defeat. The Venezuelan people are determined to free themselves from communism with Mar\u00eda Corina and the United States must stand with the freedom-loving people of Venezuela.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am proud to introduce a resolution that strongly supports Mar\u00eda Corina Machado as Venezuela\u2019s legitimate presidential opposition candidate and condemns the Maduro regime\u2019s attempts to exclude any legitimate opposition from political participation,\u201d said Rep. Diaz-Balart. \u201cThe Venezuelan people, both in Venezuela and abroad, overwhelmingly endorsed Mar\u00eda Corina Machado as the leading Venezuelan opposition candidate. I strongly opposed the Biden Administration\u2019s decision to relax sanctions on the Maduro dictatorship, while establishing an arbitrary November 30, 2023 deadline, which was done purportedly to encourage free and fair elections in Venezuela. That deadline has passed, and the administration has failed to reimpose tough sanctions. The U.S. must stand unequivocally with the Venezuelan people in their brave struggle for freedom, human rights, and democratic government\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Venezuelan opposition overwhelmingly chose Mar\u00eda Corina Machado to lead the fight against the Maduro regime in the upcoming elections,\u201d said Rep. Mar\u00eda Elvira Salazar. \u201cThe United States must offer its full support for her and her campaign as millions of Venezuelans around the world rally around her struggle against the dictatorship.\u201d\n\nTo read the Resolution text, CLICK HERE.\n\n###\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. - Hoy, los congresistas Carlos Gimenez, Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-26), y Maria Elvira Salazar introdujeron una resoluci\u00f3n en la C\u00e1mara de Representantes reconociendo a Maria Corina Machado como la candidata opositora al dictador comunista Nicolas Maduro en las pr\u00f3ximas elecciones presidenciales.\n\nLos senadores Rick Scott (FL) y Marco Rubio (FL) presentaron una resoluci\u00f3n complementaria en el Senado.\n\n\u201cEl r\u00e9gimen criminal de Maduro est\u00e1 amenazando, intimidando y silenciando a la candidata opositora Mar\u00eda Corina Machado,\u201d dijo el representante Carlos Gim\u00e9nez. \u201cEste ataque a la democracia muestra la desesperaci\u00f3n del r\u00e9gimen ante una derrota inminente. \u00a1El pueblo venezolano est\u00e1 decidido a liberarse del comunismo con Mar\u00eda Corina!\n\n\u201cMe enorgullece presentar una resoluci\u00f3n que respalda firmemente a Mar\u00eda Corina Machado como la leg\u00edtima candidata presidencial de la oposici\u00f3n en Venezuela y condena los intentos del r\u00e9gimen de Maduro de excluir a cualquier oposici\u00f3n leg\u00edtima de la participaci\u00f3n pol\u00edtica,\u201d dijo el representante Mario Diaz-Balart. \u201cEl pueblo venezolano, tanto en Venezuela como en el extranjero, respald\u00f3 abrumadoramente a Mar\u00eda Corina Machado como la principal candidata de la oposici\u00f3n venezolana. Me opuse firmemente a la decisi\u00f3n de la Administraci\u00f3n Biden de relajar las sanciones contra la dictadura de Maduro, al tiempo que establec\u00eda un plazo arbitrario del 30 de noviembre de 2023, supuestamente para fomentar elecciones libres y justas en Venezuela. Ese plazo ha pasado, y la administraci\u00f3n no ha vuelto a imponer sanciones severas. Estados Unidos debe respaldar inequ\u00edvocamente al pueblo venezolano en su valiente lucha por la libertad, los derechos humanos y un gobierno democr\u00e1tico\n\n\"La oposici\u00f3n venezolana eligi\u00f3 abrumadoramente a Mar\u00eda Corina Machado para liderar la lucha contra el r\u00e9gimen de Maduro en las pr\u00f3ximas elecciones,\" dijo la representante Mar\u00eda Elvira Salazar. \"Estados Unidos debe ofrecer su pleno apoyo a ella y a su campa\u00f1a, ya que millones de venezolanos en todo el mundo se unen a su lucha contra la dictadura\".\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://gimenez.house.gov/2023/12/english-spanish-reps-gimenez-diaz-balart-salazar-introduce-resolution-recognizing-maria-corina-machado-as-the-legitimate-presidential-opposition-candidate-in-venezuela"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.8668449483811855, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}