WASHINGTON-Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and a former Chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, today made the following statement.
“The presidential election taking place in Venezuela this Sunday is far from legitimate. President Maduro has stacked the decks against the opposition, barring most opposition candidates from participating and creating a completely unlevel playing field. He is nothing short of a dictator who is once again attempting to legitimize his grip on power. I continue to stand with the Venezuelan people in both their democratic struggle and their difficult, daily effort to access much-needed food and medicine.
“At the same time, I strongly believe that elections are among the few paths out of dictatorships. Elections matter and the voices of Venezuela’s struggling citizens deserve to be heard.".
