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Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Representatives Albio Sires (D-NJ) and María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) applauded the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of their bill, the Reinforcing Nicaragua’s Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform (RENACER) Act (S.1064). This bipartisan legislation will increase the United States’ response to the continued use of repressive tactics by the Ortega-Murillo regime to intimidate, inhibit, or arrest every aspiring opposition candidate ahead of Nicaragua’s scheduled sham presidential elections on November 7th. The bill passed the U.S. Senate unanimously and now heads to the President’s desk for signature.
Rubio is the Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women’s Issues. 

“Ahead of Sunday’s sham presidential election in Nicaragua, the Congress of the United States is sending a strong message against the corrupt and authoritarian Ortega-Murillo regime and its attempt to subvert the will of the Nicaraguan people,” Rubio said. “The Biden Administration should swiftly sign this bill into law and work with international allies to coordinate sanctions against this regime.”  

“Today, as the RENACER Act heads to President Biden’s desk for his signature, I am proud to see Congress come together – in a bicameral, common-sense way – to let the people of Nicaragua know we are not turning a blind eye to their cries of desperation,”  Menendez said. “It’s not very often that Republicans and Democrats are able to come together these days to find common ground and address a serious challenge – this bill is a rare exception. We are witnessing the worst authoritarian assault on democracy in Latin America in decades, and I am proud to lead this effort for Congress to act decisively so the Ortega-Murillo regime knows there will be major consequences for the pseudo coronation of their dynastic dictatorship. I look forward to working with President Biden to ensure the swift implementation of the RENACER Act.”
 
“Having locked up every potential opponent, Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega will soon hold a coronation ceremony in place of an election,” Sires said. “I thank my colleagues in the House and Senate who worked hard to pass this bipartisan legislation, which will improve our sanctions coordination with allies, expand oversight of international financial institutions’ lending to Nicaragua, and hold Ortega accountable for his regime’s crimes against humanity. Today’s passage of the RENACER Act shows that the United States Congress will not stand by as Ortega consolidates a one-party dictatorship and it reflects our firm support for the democratic aspirations of the Nicaraguan people.” 
 
“For months, the Nicaraguan people have pleaded for us to help stop Daniel Ortega’s reign of terror. The passage of the RENACER Act will hit Ortega where it hurts just days before he solidifies his dictatorship through his sham presidential elections,” Salazar said. “It’s past time we review Ortega’s ability to profit from free trade with the United States. Thank you to my colleagues for taking bold action against this evil regime and for standing with the Nicaraguan people during their fight for democracy. The United States is making its message clear – access to American markets is a privilege, and we should not do business with dictators.”

The legislation proposes new initiatives to monitor, report on, and address corruption by Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s government and family, as well as human rights abuses perpetrated by Nicaraguan security forces. The RENACER Act also requires the United States government to increase sanctions on key actors in the Ortega regime that prevented democratic elections in Nicaragua, and expand sanctions coordination with Canada and the European Union. The bill also calls for the executive branch to open a formal review to determine whether Nicaragua should be allowed continued participation in the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). 

The RENACER Act includes the following elements:

• Aligns U.S. diplomacy and targeted sanctions to promote democratic elections, including a review of key Nicaraguans that have dismantled prospects for free, fair, and transparent elections;
• Calls for the executive branch to review Nicaragua’s continued participation in the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA);
• Expands oversight of international financial institutions’ lending to Nicaragua and reaffirms the existing statutory waiver for humanitarian projects;
• Requires sanctions coordination with Canada and the European Union;
• Adds Nicaragua to the list of Central American countries subject to corruption-related visa restriction

Washington, D.C. — Los senadores estadounidenses Marco Rubio (R-FL), Bob Menéndez (D-NJ) y los representantes Albio Sires (D-NJ) y María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) aplaudieron la aprobación de su proyecto de ley por parte de la Cámara de Representantes de EE. UU., el proyecto de ley RENACER (S.1064). Esta legislación bipartidista aumentará la respuesta de Estados Unidos tras el uso continuo de tácticas represivas por parte del régimen de Ortega-Murillo para intimidar, inhibir o arrestar a todos los candidatos de la oposición antes de los falsos comicios presidenciales en Nicaragua programados para el 7 de noviembre. El proyecto de ley fue aprobado por unanimidad en el Senado de EE.UU. y ahora va al escritorio del presidente para ser firmado en ley.

“Antes de los falsos comicios presidenciales de este domingo en Nicaragua, el Congreso de EE.UU. está enviando un fuerte mensaje en contra del régimen corrupto y autoritario de Ortega y Murillo en su intento de subvertir la voluntad del pueblo nicaragüense,” Rubio dijo. “La Administración Biden debería firmar este proyecto de ley rápidamente y trabajar con nuestros aliados internacionales para coordinar sanciones contra este régimen”.

Rubio es el Miembro de Más Alto Rango del Subcomité sobre Hemisferio Occidental, Crimen Transnacional, Seguridad Civil, Democracia, Derechos Humanos y Asuntos Globales de la Mujer.