Senator Rick Scott Weekly Update

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott Recognizes Human Rights Awareness Month

Since his time as Governor, Senator Scott has worked to support the fight for freedom in Cuba, Venezuela and throughout Latin America. Senator Scott is focused on securing a stronger and more vibrant Latin America – with the understanding that ending the Cuban dictatorship will lead to greater stability and freedom for the entire region.

Senator Scott has also been an outspoken opponent of the human rights atrocities in Communist China. For over a year, Senator Scott has been calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reconsider its decision to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in Communist China, where more than one million Uyghurs are being held in concentration camps while the people of Hong Kong are being arrested and having their rights stolen.

Senator Scott will continue to stand with those fighting for freedom around the globe.

On July 20, 2020, Senator Rick Scott released the below statement following a speech by International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach, who claimed that “boycotts and discrimination because of political background or nationality are once again a real danger” and warned about what he called “the growing misuse of sport for political purposes.”

For nearly a year, Senator Scott has been urging the Committee to reconsider its decision to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in Communist China as General Secretary Xi Jinping commits genocide against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang and restricts the human rights of Hong Kongers.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Uyghur prisoners in Communist China are being rounded up, blindfolded, shaved and loaded onto trains to be taken to concentration camps, and all IOC President Bach is concerned about is his claim that people are using sports for political purposes. This is nonsense and reveals a shameful disregard for the victims of General Secretary Xi and the Chinese Communist Party’s crimes.

“Beijing is committing genocide against the Uyghurs simply because of their religious beliefs and is cracking down on the human rights of Hong Kongers. The world must unite against this horrific injustice. This isn’t about politics or a boycott. It’s about basic human rights. The IOC should find a new home for the 2022 Olympic Games, and if Bach continues to refuse to acknowledge Communist China’s human rights abuses, then the IOC should find a president who does.”

Read more HERE.

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On October 21, 2020, following a series of stories detailing Communist China’s oppression and genocide of Uyghurs, a religious and ethnic minority living in the northwestern province of Xinjiang, Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board members urging them to stand up for human rights and move the 2022 Olympic Games out of China. For over a year, Senator Rick Scott has been calling on the Committee to stand up for freedom and urge Communist China to stop violating human rights, or find a new home for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games.

Read the Senator’s letter HERE.

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On December 10, 2020, Senator Rick Scott wrote a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging the State Department to shine a light on the severity of Communist China’s oppression and atrocities against the Uyghurs, a religious and ethnic minority living in the northwestern province of Xinjiang, and classify the actions as genocide.

Read the Senator’s letter HERE.

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On November 17, 2020, Senator Rick Scott joined Congressmen Ted Yoho and Tom Malinowski and Senator Jeff Merkley in a letter to United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres urging the UN to investigate the Communist Party of China’s ongoing human rights abuses and genocide against Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

Senator Rick Scott said, “It’s shameful that Communist China’s campaign of genocide against the Uyghurs has been ignored by the UN Human Rights Council for so long. The UN Human Rights Council must immediately hold a special session to address this growing crisis. I am proud to join my colleagues to call on the UN to take immediate and forceful action to expose and condemn Communist China’s despicable human rights abuses.”

Read the Senator’s letter HERE.

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On October 17, 2019, Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to the President of the International Olympics Committee urging the Committee to reconsider its decision to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in Communist China.

Read the Senator’s letter HERE.

On October 23, 2020, Senator Rick Scott sent an open letter calling on business leaders around the world to support those fighting for freedom and democracy, and refuse to do business with the Cuban regime. The international business community must unite against dangerous dictators and put human rights above profits.

Read the Senator’s letter HERE and the Spanish version HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott Applauds President Trump and the Administration for Rolling Back Obama-Era Cuba Policies

On September 23, 2020, Senator Rick Scott applauded the Trump Administration’s announcement of new travel restrictions and sanctions against the Cuban regime, including prohibiting American citizens from importing Cuban-origin alcohol and tobacco products in order to deny the regime of additional sources of revenue. Senator Rick Scott has been urging the Administration to continue to take concrete steps to hold the Cuban Regime accountable.

Senator Rick Scott said, “I’m glad the Trump Administration is continuing to demonstrate their commitment to freedom and democracy in Latin America. I’ve been calling on the Administration to limit the flow of money to Cuba and implement tougher sanctions for some time and I’m glad they have taken action to deny the Cuban regime sources of revenue. Americans citizens should not be providing additional sources of revenue to a regime that uses its profits to oppress its own people and support murderous dictators like Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. These new travel restrictions and sanctions roll back Obama-era policies of appeasement to the Castro regime. Cuba is the root of the evil we see in Latin America and we must continue to fight until we see a new day of freedom in our hemisphere.

Read more HERE and the Spanish version HERE.

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On March 26, 2020, Senator Rick Scott released the below statement applauding the Department of Justice for charging Nicolás Maduro and 14 current and former Venezuelan officials with narco-terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking and other criminal charges.

Senator Rick Scott said, “I’ve encouraged the Trump Administration to do everything in its power to hold Maduro accountable for his crimes and the genocide he is committing on the people of Venezuela. I am glad the Department of Justice is taking the historic step to indict Maduro. His brutal regime is crumbling and it’s time for him to back down. We will never stop fighting to free the people of Venezuela, and the United States will always stand with those fighting for freedom, democracy and human rights.”

Read more HERE and the Spanish version HERE.

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On February 6, 2020, Senator Rick Scott joined Interim President of Venezuela Juan Guaidó and South Florida lawmakers at a rally to promote freedom in Venezuela. Senator Scott and Interim President Guaidó also met to discuss how the U.S. can continue to help the fight for freedom and democracy and end Maduro’s murderous regime.

Senator Rick Scott said, “It was an honor to join Interim President Guaidó in Miami today as we continue working to bring freedom to the people of Venezuela. We will never stop fighting for an end to Nicolas Maduro’s brutal regime, and the United States will always stand with those fighting for freedom, democracy and human rights.”

Read more HERE.

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On February 4, 2020, Senator Rick Scott released the below statement following reports that Spain’s Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos met with Maduro’s illegitimate vice-president, Delcy Rodriguez, in Spain this week. Members of Maduro’s ruthless regime are banned from entering the European Union (EU). During Senator Scott’s meeting with Interim President Juan Guaido on Saturday, Senator Scott discussed the need for the EU to do more to enforce sanctions against the Maduro regime.

Senator Rick Scott said, “I called on the EU to join the United States and do more to help the Venezuelan people, and I was encouraged when the EU joined as a partner in this worldwide fight against evil. But allowing a Maduro official to enter the EU shows they are not strongly enforcing their own sanctions. More must be done. If we are serious about helping the people of Venezuela and getting Maduro to step aside, the EU needs to do a better job of enforcing their sanctions. And Spain, as a member of the EU, needs to do their part and not allow members of its government to legitimize Maduro’s regime. People are dying. Europe, the United States and freedom-loving nations around the world need to do everything in our power to isolate Maduro in Venezuela and cut off the supply of money from Cuba to Caracas.”

Read more HERE.

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On June 4, 2019, Senator Rick Scott released the following statement after President Trump’s Administration announced new restrictions on U.S. travel to Cuba, banning many education and recreational trips.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Cuba continues to be the most powerful force propping up Nicolas Maduro as he starves and kills his own people. The Cuban Regime is a willing and active participant in Maduro’s genocide. The United States is right to take every action possible to cut off ties with Cuba. I applaud President Trump for taking this important step to restrict U.S. travel to Cuba. Money spent in Cuba goes directly to the Castro Regime and helps keep Maduro and his brutal regime in power. Limiting the flow of money to Cuba is critical to freeing Venezuela and protecting the national security of the United States.”

Read more HERE and the Spanish version HERE.

On March 4, 2020 Senators Rick Scott and Ed Markey introduced a bipartisan resolution calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to move the 2022 Winter Olympics out of China and rebid it to another country unless Beijing addresses its violation of human rights. This resolution was also sponsored by Senators Jim Inhofe, Dick Durbin, Martha McSally, Doug Jones, Marco Rubio, Tom Cotton, Todd Young, Marsha Blackburn and Mike Braun.

This resolution follows Senator Scott’s continued calls on the IOC to stand for freedom and urge Communist China to stop violating human rights, or find a new home for the 2022 Olympic Games.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Communist China should not be allowed to host the 2022 Olympic Games while simultaneously running concentration camps, violating human rights and oppressing the people of Hong Kong. The Olympic Games are an incredible opportunity to allow the world’s best athletes to represent their countries and unite our nations, and should not be hosted by one of the world’s worst human rights abusers. Today, the Senate is sending a clear message to the IOC: stand up for freedom and urge Communist China to do the right thing, or find a new home for the 2022 Olympic Games. It’s not about politics, it’s about human rights.”

Read more HERE.

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