WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, following reporting about a new deal between the Biden administration and Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro to ease oil sanctions on the Maduro regime, Senator Rick Scott released the following statement.

Senator Rick Scott said, “The reported deal that President Biden is offering to Nicolás Maduro is horrific for the United States and the people of Venezuela. Once again, this president has run into the arms of a ruthless, murdering dictator and done exactly what they wanted. Maduro works with Iran, Russia, Middle East extremist terror groups, Communist China and Cuba. All evil regimes that hate America. He, just like his comrades in those countries, is a genocidal tyrant and a liar. Yet, this is who Joe Biden has decided to trust. Lifting U.S. sanctions and allowing money to flow into Venezuela because you’re counting on the word of a mad dictator is the most moronic thing I could have imagined from this president. Maduro should never be allowed to run for office again. He’s only held onto power through sham elections and brutal oppression and now, he’s getting access to tons of cash to fund his regime thanks to the weakness of Joe Biden. We must be clear: when you give thugs like Maduro access to capital like this, it further destabilizes the region, as he will only enrich himself and continue to steal the Venezuelan people’s natural resources and silence opposition. If Biden thinks that he has solved the Venezuela problem with this ridiculous deal, he is dead wrong. The fight for freedom and democracy in Venezuela took a massive step backward today, but we will continue working alongside the freedom-loving Venezuelan people to bring democracy back to their country.”

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