FL-27 Newsletter Vol. 118, Issue #39 Dear Friends/Amigos, Last week, I was back in Washington, D.C., advocating on your behalf in the halls of Congress. On Thursday, House Republicans passed $14.5 billion in aid to support Israel in their time of need. The money was supposed to fund another 87,000 IRS agents that were going to harass the middle class. Instead, that money will fund our allies and eradicate Hamas. Check out my thoughts on this shameful display below. My staff and I are continuously monitoring the war between Israel and Hamas, and my office remains a resource to anyone who has family in the region who wants to leave. Feel free to call my Miami office at (305) 668-2285 with any questions. As always, I invite you to connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, to get the latest from Washington and from across our district. Sincerely/Atentamente, María Elvira Salazar U.S. Representative (FL-27) MY STATEMENT ON DICTATOR NICOLÁS MADURO'S ATTACKS AGAINST MARÍA CORINA MACHADO Last week, Nicolás Maduro and his regime decided to break the promise he made to the Biden Administration to respect the candidacy of his main opposition candidate, María Corina Machado, for the presidential election in 2024. Not even a few weeks after his deal with President Biden to loosen sanctions on Venezuelan oil exports, the Maduro dictatorship nullified the results of the October 22 primary elections where María Corina won a commanding 92% of support from the opposition. As this move directly violates the deal President Biden made with Maduro, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and I are calling on the Biden Administration to reimpose sanctions on the Venezuelan government. Our full statement in English below: “We strongly condemn the decision by Venezuela's regime-controlled court to suspend the democratic opposition's primary election process, which mobilized 2.4 million Venezuelan voters to nominate María Corina Machado as the opposition candidate for the 2024 presidential election. This assault on democracy is a severe breach of democratic principles and a clear violation of the Maduro regime's recent agreement with the opposition Unitary Platform and the Biden Administration. The criminalization of this legitimate political process, which was overseen by independent election observers and coordinated in compliance with international norms, reflects a well-established pattern of disdain for genuine electoral independence and repression of political opponents, as demonstrated by the regime’s ban on opposition candidates and parties. The court's requirement that the independent National Primary Commission turn over documents identifying Venezuelan voters is especially grave, considering the regime's history of retaliating against dissent through arbitrary imprisonment, extrajudicial killings, torture, marginalization, and denial of social services. We are horrified by the prospect that Venezuelan-Americans who participated in the primary vote, including many of our constituents, could become targets of the regime. The Biden Administration should use all available tools to enforce the terms of the October 17 agreement, which promised the reimposition of sanctions in the event of a violation, and ensure that Ms. Machado has the opportunity to run in a free, fair election. Every effort must be undertaken to protect Venezuelan voters, including Venezuelan-Americans, from retaliation for exercising their right to vote.” ¡Para leer el comunicado de prensa exigiendo que la Administración Biden vuelva a imponer sanciones al régimen de Maduro por incumplir el acuerdo que hizo con el presidente Biden, haga clic AQUÍ! I VISITED THE GRAND OPENING OF NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING SITES IN DISTRICT 27! I had the enormous pleasure of visiting the grand opening of two affordable housing sites right in the heart of District 27, in Little Havana. Access to affordable housing is an issue that we in Miami know very well, and it pleases me very much that members of our community are taking up the challenge to address this. As your Congresswoman, I want you to know I am here to support the most vulnerable members of our community, especially our seniors. Check out more pictures from the event HERE. MY COLLEAGUES AND I PASSED CRITICAL ISRAEL FUNDING. WHERE IS THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION? On Thursday, my colleagues in the Republican Conference and I passed a $14 billion supplemental aid package to help Israel in their time of need against Hamas terrorism. While House Republicans were united in this noble cause, House Democrats opposed our bill. This legislation secures funding for Israel by cutting funds for the 87,000 IRS agents President Biden hired earlier this year to make the lives of taxpayers and small businesses in Miami more difficult. This is why House Democrats are opposing our bill, and why it is so important. It corrects a wrong and helps our ally, the only democracy in the Middle East, in their cause for justice. Listen to my remarks about the legislation in English and Spanish. CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA! ‌ ‌ ‌ Have questions? Reach me at: [link removed] Washington, D.C. 2162 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-3931 Miami, FL 5725 SW 8th St Suite 200, Miami, FL 33144 Phone: (305) 668-2285 Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar | 2162 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected]