Rep. María Elvira Salazar, U.S. Congresswoman representing Florida’s 27th district, made a series of statements on January 8, 2026, addressing political repression in Venezuela and recent demonstrations in Iran.
In a post published at 18:26 UTC, Salazar called for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Venezuela, stating, “La democracia en Venezuela exige la liberación INMEDIATA de TODOS los presos políticos. No hay justicia a medias.”
Later that day, she commented on ongoing protests in Iran. At 20:38 UTC, she wrote, “The people of Iran are showing historic bravery, taking to the streets like never before demanding FREEDOM. Iran has been hijacked by extremists for too long. Sending my courage to those using their voices to demand liberty and hoping this will be the year for democracy in”. This was followed by a similar statement posted at 20:49 UTC in Spanish: “El pueblo de Irán está demostrando una valentía histórica, tomando las calles como nunca antes para exigir LIBERTAD. Irán ha estado secuestrado por extremistas durante demasiado tiempo. Mi apoyo total para quienes alzan la voz contra la opresión y reclaman sus derechos. Que este”.
Salazar’s comments come amid longstanding concerns over human rights abuses and democratic backsliding in both Venezuela and Iran. In Venezuela, international organizations have repeatedly reported on the detention of political opponents and activists without due process or fair trials. In Iran, mass protests have erupted periodically over issues including government restrictions and allegations of systemic oppression.
Salazar has previously voiced support for democratic movements and has advocated for increased international attention on human rights violations in Latin America and the Middle East.