WASHINGTON, DC - The United States Senate unanimously approved a bipartisan resolution authored by Chairman Robert Menendez and Senator Marco Rubio that urges the U.S. Department of State and countries in the hemisphere to take meaningful steps to ensure that the rule of law in Venezuela is maintained in accordance with the Inter-American Democratic Charter.

In response to the ongoing deterioration of the economic and political situation in Venezuela, the resolution calls for a process of dialogue through which the Maduro Administration must recognize the country's democratic political opposition and begin to address the needs of the entire population.

"President Maduro's decision to expel U.S. diplomats is a clear attempt to distract public attention from the problems of governance, inflation, scarcity of basic consumer goods, corruption, criminal violence and insecurity that confront all Venezuelans daily," said Menendez. "Rather than persecuting its political opponents, criminalizing reporting by media outlets, and accusing the U.S. of totally unfounded conspiracies, it is time for Mr. Maduro to enter into dialogue with the democratic opposition and responsibly work to improve the well-being of all 29 million Venezuelan people."

"This resolution also recognizes that there are ongoing and serious concerns about the electoral climate in Venezuela. In advance of Venezuela's December-municipal elections, I and other members of the U.S. Senate will closely monitor ongoing developments in the country," added Menendez. "Additionally, I urge the Inter-American system to remain responsive to the millions of Venezuelans that are defenseless in the face of a government intent on negating the rights of at least half the voters in the country."

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