In 2020, María Elvira Salazar criticized her opponent Donna Shalala for trading shares in Tencent, a Chinese tech company, emphasizing Salazar's concerns over Chinese government influence and U.S. investment in Chinese firms (Miami Herald).
In May 2021, Salazar introduced the AMIGOS Act, proposing that U.S.-made vaccines sent abroad be clearly labeled with American branding and that Congress have authority over waivers for vaccine intellectual property rights (Miami Herald; El Nuevo Herald).
Salazar compared her branding proposal to similar practices by China and Russia, advocating for increased U.S. visibility and influence in international vaccine distribution (El Nuevo Herald).
In February 2025, Salazar argued for a strong U.S. stance on oil negotiations, advising against dealing with authoritarian regimes even for energy needs (El Nuevo Herald).
Potential vulnerability: Salazar's position on restricting negotiations and branding may be criticized as politicizing humanitarian aid and limiting diplomatic flexibility.
2020: Maria Elvira Salazar Criticized Donna Shalala For Trading Tencent Stock According to Miami Herald, 'In her editorial board interview, Salazar also attacked Shalala for buying and selling stock in Tencent, a Chinese conglomerate that owns WeChat, a Chinese social messaging app. Salazar called Tencent the "surveillance arm of the Chinese Communist Party."' [Miami Herald, 10/22/20]
May 2021: Rep. María Elvira Salazar Introduced The AMIGOS Act To Require American Branding On Vaccines Sent Abroad According to Miami Herald, "On Friday, Salazar introduced the AMIGOS Act, which stands for American Medical Innovation Generating Overseas Security, with a group of Republican lawmakers. The bill would require American-made vaccines to be packaged with 'U.S.A. branding' when vaccines are sent directly to other countries. It also would make Congress responsible for signing off on waivers for intellectual property protections for U.S.-made vaccines." [Miami Herald, 5/14/21]
May 2021: María Elvira Salazar Propuso Que Vacunas Enviadas Al Extranjero Llevaran La Marca Estadounidense According to El Nuevo Herald, "La representante federal republicana de Miami María Elvira Salazar, quiere que Estados Unidos se parezca más a China y Rusia en lo que respecta a la distribución internacional de vacunas. [...] El viernes, Salazar presentó la Ley AMIGOS, por las siglas de American Medical Innovation Generating Overseas Security, con un grupo de legisladores republicanos. El proyecto de ley exigiría que las vacunas fabricadas en Estados Unidos se empaquen con la 'marca de Estados Unidos de América' cuando se envíen directamente a otros países." [El Nuevo Herald, 5/15/21]
Feb 2025: María Salazar Emphasized Need For Strong Message On Oil Negotiations According to El Nuevo Herald, "'El presidente Trump está en una situación difícil porque tiene que enviar el mensaje correcto a nuestros aliados en todo el mundo y en este hemisferio de que no vamos a negociar con dictadores por unos pocos barriles de petróleo', dijo." [El Nuevo Herald (Miami, Florida), 2/3/25]