Venezuelan authorities are investigating opposition leader Maria Corina Machado for alleged treason after she expressed support for a US bipartisan bill that seeks to block Washington from doing business with any entity that has commercial ties with the government of Venezuela\u2019s President Nicolas Maduro. <\/p>\n
In a statement, the country\u2019s Attorney General\u2019s Office said Machado\u2019s support is considered a \u201cterrible criminal act against the Venezuelan people.\u201d Machado is also being investigated for conspiracy with foreign countries and association to commit a crime. <\/p>\n
Machado – one of the country\u2019s key opposition leaders – was banned from running in Venezuela\u2019s July presidential election, which was marred with allegations of foul play that saw opposition figures arrested, opposition witnesses allegedly denied access to the centralized vote count, and overseas Venezuelans largely unable to cast ballots. <\/p>\n
The US bill \u2013 introduced by Florida Reps. Mike Waltz (R) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) \u2013 was passed on Monday by the House of Representatives. <\/p>\n
Waltz, who President-elect Donald Trump has asked to serve as his national security adviser, wrote on X Wednesday that Machado \u201cremains a beacon of hope for Venezuelans who rejected Maduro and his socialist authoritarianism\u201d as he announced the bill. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m proud the House passed my bill, the BOLIVAR Act, to block the federal government from doing business with anyone who has commercial ties to Maduro\u2019s regime,\u201d Walz wrote. <\/p>\n
Machado, who\u2019s in hiding, later thanked Waltz and the House of Representatives for approving the initiative.\u201cIt is a crucial step to hold the Maduro regime accountable,\u201d she wrote on X on Wednesday. <\/p>\n
During a televised event on Wednesday, Maduro criticized the bill and said that the opposition\u2019s actions against him will not be successful. <\/p>\n
Venezuela has been in a state of crisis in its aftermath when the nation\u2019s electoral authority \u2013 a body stacked with Maduro allies \u2013 declared him the winner with 51% of the vote against candidate Edmundo Gonzalez. <\/p>\n
Even after Venezuela\u2019s electoral and judicial authorities announced Maduro\u2019s victory, they have not shown detailed results and electoral records to support it, prompting anger and concern across the country and abroad. <\/p>\n
Several countries, including the US, have formally recognized Gonzalez as the country\u2019s president-elect following the disputed election. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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