Rubio To Obama: Take Decisive Action Against Human Rights Violators In Venezuela
Press Release
In light of the upcoming anniversary of the violent repression of peaceful demonstrators in Venezuela, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) today called on President Obama to fully implement the provisions in the Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014 that were signed into law on December 18 and mandate asset freezes and visa restrictions on individuals involved in human rights violations under the Maduro regime.
In a letter to the President, Rubio highlighted the deteriorating economic and security conditions in Venezuela, and expressed concerns regarding the lack of progress in imposing financial sanctions mandated by the law, particularly asset freezes.
"As you know, February 12 marks the anniversary of massive public demonstrations in Venezuela, in reaction to President Maduro's incompetent rule and violent repression of tens of thousands of peaceful demonstrators. As a result of President Maduro's ongoing crackdown, more than 40 people have died, there have been at least 50 documented cases of torture by government forces on peaceful demonstrators, and more than 1700 individuals await trials by a Venezuelan judiciary fully controlled by President Maduro -- including opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, who has been held in the Ramo Verde military prison for a year," wrote Rubio. "On January 27, Maduro's regime approved an order by Defense Minister Vladimiro Padrino authorizing the Venezuelan armed forces to use lethal force -- including firearms and chemical weapons -- to control public demonstrations. The need for decisive action by the United States could not be clearer."
"While I support the decision by the Department of State to deny U.S. visas to an additional but undetermined number of human rights violators in Venezuela, I am deeply concerned about the lack of progress in imposing the more powerful financial sanctions mandated by this law," Rubio added. "Given the rapid decline of economic and security conditions in Venezuela, I urge you to fully implement the provisions in the Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014."
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