In a bold move ahead of Venezuela’s inauguration of President-elect Edmundo González, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) introduced the Securing Timely Opportunities for Payment and Maximizing Awards for Detaining Unlawful Regime Officials (STOP MADURO) Act.

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and U.S. Rep. María Elvira Salazar are introducing a bipartisan bill to crack down on loopholes that allow oil company revenues to flow to the Venezuela’s authoritarian government led by President Nicolás Maduro.

The announcement came as Nicolás Maduro began another term despite U.S. officials believing he lost his election.

The increase to $25 million reflects "the gravity of his crimes and the continued threat he poses," a senior official said.

Sen. RICK SCOTT (R-Fla.) re-introduced his STOP MADURO Act this week to increase the maximum reward amount from $15 million to a maximum of $100 million for information leading to Maduro’s arrest and conviction. Another bipartisan bill would impose additional sanctions on Venezuela and try to pressure a move toward democracy.

The Venezuelan exile community answered the call from Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado to go out and defend democracy.

President Biden’s 30-minute meeting in the White House Monday with Venezuela’s opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia sent a powerful message to Venezuelans at home and the international community just days before a critical juncture in the South American country’s struggle for democracy.

Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) joined Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Jim Risch (R-ID) and five other U.S. senators in introducing the Venezuela Advancing Liberty,

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will be sworn in for a third term Friday while hundreds of government opponents arrested since his disputed reelection last summer languish in the country's packed prisons.

Venezuela’s authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro was sworn in for a third six-year term with all the pomp and circumstance of an inauguration, a sash with the colors of the country’s flag around his chest.

The Department of Homeland Security says about 600,000 Venezuelans and more than 200,000 El Salvadorans already living in the United States can legally remain another 18 months.