South Miami-Dade News

Miami, FL. - Today, Congressman Carlos A. Gimenez issued a statement condemning Nicolas Maduro's attempt to declare victory in the Venezuelan presidential elections that he has lost.

After 25 years of economic instability, political corruption, and human rights violations, the Venezuelan people turned out in record numbers to defeat the dictatorial regime at the ballot box. The United States must lead regional partners and impose comprehensive sanctions against Venezuela.

"Dictator Nicolas Maduro has decided to make a total mockery of the Venezuelan presidential elections," said Rep. Gimenez. "I am calling on President Biden to suspend all diplomatic relations with Venezuela, reimpose the strictest oil sanctions, raise Maduro's bounty from $15 million to $50 million, and safeguard the Venezuelan people's access to the internet. The Maduro regime is a puppet state of Communist Cuba and has taken a page out of the Castro dictatorship's playbook to destroy the last vestiges of democracy in Venezuela. The United States must recognize the rightful winner of the national elections, Edmundo Gonzalez."

Congressman Carlos Gimenez represents South Florida, including the largest Venezuelan exile community in the United States.

Congressman Carlos Giménez represents Miami-Dade County and the Florida Keys. He is the only Cuban-born Member of the 118th Congress, having fled his homeland shortly after the Communist takeover of Cuba. He is also noted as being the first career firefighter paramedic elected to the House of Representatives and served as Fire Chief of Miami and Mayor of Miami-Dade County. He serves as Chairman of both Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security and Select Committee on Chinese Communist Party Affairs.