WASHINGTON, April 8 -- Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, issued the following news release:

As the criminal Maduro regime continues to repress the leading Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, ahead of presidential elections, there are serious concerns about the legitimacy and integrity of the upcoming electoral process. Last week, Maduro's National Assembly received a severe "anti-fascism" bill, which seeks to silence dissent both inside and outside Venezuela.