Ted Cruz leads bipartisan resolution calling for free elections and the release of all political prisoners in Venezuela

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) sponsored a bipartisan resolution expressing support for the holding of free, fair, and transparent elections in Venezuela.

Specifically, the resolution calls for a peaceful transition in Venezuela through free elections and the release of all political prisoners.

Furthermore, the text warns that "any arbitrary detention, sentence, assault, enforced disappearance, death, or other serious harm" suffered by anyone running for public office—including opposition leader, María Corina Machado, would lead the United States to presume the Venezuelan regime's complicity in such acts and "necessitate actions by the United States to hold accountable any person determined to be responsible for or complicit in such actions."

"The people of Venezuela deserve free, fair, and transparent elections, and it is vital to the national security interests of the United States that those elections occur expeditiously. A legitimately elected government would create the foundation for freedom and prosperity in Venezuela and establish the basis for a deep and long-term partnership with the United States, including security, counternarcotics, and economic cooperation," Cruz said in a press release.

"A credible democratic transition is only attainable when the Venezuelan people are free to decide Venezuela’s future, yet the Delcy Rodríguez regime has failed to take meaningful actions toward holding elections and restoring democratic order. As international bodies have affirmed time and again, the regime has not taken serious steps to dismantle the Maduro-Rodriguez repressive apparatus that has long terrorized the Venezuelan people," Shaheen said.

Cruz and Shaheen were joined by Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).

"Restoring prosperity to Venezuela"

In a recent interview with VOZ, Senator Cruz stated that the United States' goal is to "restore" Venezuela to "prosperity" through the free market and investment.

Regarding Maduro's arrest in January of this year, he said the following: "Going in and arresting Maduro made America safe. When the Delta Force landed and apprehended Maduro, every dictator in Latin America had to change his shorts. That's a demonstration of strong presidential leadership."

In addition, he emphasized the need for an election as soon as possible: "Delcy Rodríguez was just as illegitimate as he was, and I think the people of Venezuela ought to choose who their leaders are. And I hope that the leader that they choose [is] a leader [that] wants to be friends with America."