Rep. María Elvira Salazar, a U.S. Representative from Florida, addressed concerns about political repression in Venezuela and voiced support for federal election legislation in a series of posts on February 9, 2026.
In her first post of the day, Salazar raised alarm over the whereabouts of Venezuelan opposition figure Juan Pablo Guanipa. She wrote, “Where is Juan Pablo Guanipa? This is the dictatorship’s playbook: kidnap, intimidate, and silence anyone who dares to speak the truth. It is a brutal reminder that repression in Venezuela has not stopped for a single moment. Every hour without answers further exposes the” (February 9, 2026).
Later that afternoon, Salazar turned her attention to domestic policy by expressing support for the SAVE Act, which aims to strengthen election integrity at the national level. In an English-language post she stated, “I support the SAVE Act because election integrity is non-negotiable. Florida has some of the most secure and trustworthy election laws in America, and our voter ID system works. The SAVE Act applies that proven standard nationwide. Only U.S. citizens should vote in U.S.” (February 9, 2026).
Shortly after her English-language statement on election security, Salazar reiterated her position in Spanish: “Apoyo el SAVE Act porque la integridad electoral no es negociable. Florida tiene las leyes electorales más seguras y confiables de Estados Unidos, y el requisito de identificación para votar funciona. El SAVE Act lleva ese estándar probado a todo el país. Solo los ciudadanos” (February 9, 2026).
Juan Pablo Guanipa is a prominent Venezuelan opposition leader who has faced previous threats and detentions under Nicolás Maduro’s government as part of broader crackdowns on dissenting voices.
The SAVE Act referenced by Salazar seeks to establish uniform voter identification requirements across all states for federal elections—a measure modeled after Florida’s existing regulations.