WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, spoke with opposition leader Maria Corina Machado following the exile of Venezuelan presidential candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, the widely recognized winner of Venezuela’s July 28 election. This marked Ms. Machado’s first public conversation with a U.S. official since Gonzalez Urrutia’s expulsion.
As first reported exclusively by Julie Tsirkin, "Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado told Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Ben Cardin on Wednesday that support from the United States is a 'moral reference' for those protesting the government of President Nicolás Maduro."
A link to the NBC article can be found HERE, and the full statement is available below:
“More than a month after facing defeat, Nicolás Maduro continues to wield repression to cling to power. Rather than providing evidence to support his hallow claims of electoral victory, Maduro has once again resorted to violence and intimidation. This week, I had the privilege of speaking with Maria Corina Machado, a courageous leader of Venezuela’s opposition, who, like Edmundo González Urrutia, faces relentless threats to her safety and that of her family from Maduro and his enablers.
“Ms. Machado’s story is a reflection Venezuela’s broader struggle. In the face of ongoing harassment and attacks against campaign officials, Ms. Machado campaigned relentlessly across the country, uplifting hopes for a reunited Venezuela. Her vision – reconnecting families and loved ones torn apart by Maduro’s brutality – resonated deeply across Venezuela and around the globe. While Maduro may try to crush this hope, the world’s democracies will not stand idly by. Maduro is as weak and isolated as he has ever been, and not even those closest to him believe his fraud.
“I assured Ms. Machado of my unwavering support for the people of Venezuela, who bravely turned out to vote for change in extraordinary numbers. I also emphasized the commitment of our European allies to exposing Maduro’s abuses and increasing pressure on his authoritarian regime. In our conversation, I shared that I will soon introduce legislation addressing Venezuela’s diverse political, social, and humanitarian challenges. Above all, my main message to Ms. Machado was clear: the United States proudly stands with her, and we will continue to fight by her side for a free and democratic Venezuela.”
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