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Washington, D.C.– U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women’s Issues yesterday joined Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Bill Nelson (D-FL), John Cornyn (R-TX), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ben Cardin (D-MD), David Perdue (R-GA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) in introducing the Venezuela Humanitarian Relief, Reconstruction, and Rule of Law Act of 2018, legislation that will expand humanitarian relief and increase economic, political, and diplomatic pressure on the Venezuelan government in order to support the Venezuelan people’s efforts to restore democracy and prosperity in their country.

“As the corrupt Maduro regime adopts a Cuba-style dictatorship and engages in crimes against humanity, including the use of forced starvation against its citizens for political coercion, it is vital for the United States and our partners to provide direct humanitarian aid to the Venezuelan people,” Senator Rubio said. “Maduro’s socialist legacy has devastated a once-rich nation and vibrant economy. I am proud to work with my colleagues on a bipartisan bill to ensure our nation and our allies are prepared to help restore Venezuela’s rule of law.”

“As millions flee repression, hunger and destitution at home, Nicolas Maduro’s criminal regime has turned Venezuela into a failed state with implications across the region. With Venezuela’s humanitarian catastrophe growing daily, Maduro betrays his citizens’ most urgent needs, while his inner circle plunders state coffers and profits from drug trafficking,” Senator Menendez said. “Today’s bipartisan legislation is the most expansive, consequential response to the Venezuelan crisis to date, and it provides the humanitarian aid and political and economic pressure needed to put the country back on the path toward democracy.” 

“The Venezuelan people continue to suffer at the hands of the brutal and corrupt Maduro regime, and their once vibrant democracy has been taken over,” Senator Nelson said. “We must stand with them as they work to restore their democracy and find a way to provide badly-needed humanitarian assistance. The situation is dire, and I urge my colleagues to take up and pass this bill as soon as possible.”

“The economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela has left many in need, and our country should stand with Venezuelans in their fight for democracy,” Senator Cornyn said. “I’m proud to support the people of Venezuela by providing humanitarian relief, recognizing the democratically-elected National Assembly, and advancing the rule of law.”

“I wish we had not reached this desperate moment.  I wish the Maduro regime would play by basic democratic rules and let the Venezuelan people freely decide their leaders.  I wish the Maduro regime had the courage to compete in a free and fair election.  But it didn’t,” said Senator Durbin. “So until it does, and until Leopoldo Lopez, Juan Requesens, and the many other Venezuelan political prisoners are freed, the National Assembly’s powers restored, and a legitimate democratic process is reestablished, I will continue to support pressure on this corrupt regime and sanctioning those responsible for the Venezuela’s misery.”

“By offering more humanitarian assistance, stepping up sanctions and financial pressure in coordination with our regional and European allies, and investigating crimes against humanity by Maduro and his cronies, the United States will signal that we stand firmly with the Venezuelan people and support them in the long but necessary work to return their country onto the path of stability, democracy, and prosperity,” Senator Cardin said. “This legislation offers a comprehensive U.S. response to the nightmare Maduro has unleashed on his citizens, demonstrating our resolve to seek accountability for his crimes and support the rights, dignity, and aspirations of the Venezuelan people.”

“Venezuela’s decline under the oppressive Maduro regime is extremely concerning,” said Senator David Perdue, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “From the country’s plummeting economy to the deterioration of the rule of law, something has got to change. It is critical that the United States stands with the people of Venezuela and against this tyranny.”

A copy of the Venezuela Humanitarian Relief, Reconstruction, and Rule of Law Act of 2018 can be found here. Key elements of the legislation include:

• Humanitarian Relief for Venezuela
  • $40 million of additional humanitarian assistance and a requirement for the State Department to hold a donors conference and advance efforts at the United Nations;

• Restoring Democracy and Addressing the Political Crisis in Venezuela
  • Congressional support for international efforts to hold Venezuelan officials accountable for crimes against humanity;
  • $15 million of support for democratic actors and civil society.

• Supporting the Reconstruction of Venezuela
  • A requirement for the Departments of State, Treasury and Justice to lead international efforts to freeze and recover the corrupt financial holdings of Venezuelan officials;
  • Accelerated planning with international financial institutions on the economic reconstruction of Venezuela, contingent upon the restoration of democratic governance;

• Restoring the Rule of Law in Venezuela
  • Expanded sanctions on government officials, drug trafficking and money laundering, and Venezuelan government debt;
  • A requirement for the State Department to work with Latin American governments to establish their own sanctions programs and to increase sanctions coordination with European and Latin American partners;
  • Increased intelligence reporting on Venezuelan officials’ role in corruption and drug trafficking, as well as the role of foreign actors in Venezuela.

• Cryptocurrency Sanctions
  • Codifying sanctions on Venezuela’s cryptocurrency and related technologies, and a report on the impact of cryptocurrencies on U.S. sanctions globally.

RUBIO, MENENDEZ Y COLEGAS PRESENTAN UNA LEGISLACIÓN PARA ABORDAR LA CRISIS HUMANITARIA Y EL COLAPSO DE LA GOBERNANZA EN VENEZUELA

Washington, D.C. – El Senador estadounidense Marco Rubio (R-FL), Presidente del Subcomité de Relaciones Exteriores para el Hemisferio Occidental, Delincuencia Transnacional, Seguridad Civil, Democracia, Derechos Humanos y Asuntos Globales de la Mujer, junto a los Senadores Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Bill Nelson (D-FL), John Cornyn (R-TX), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ben Cardin (D-MD), David Perdue (R-GA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), y Patrick Leahy (D-VT)  presentaron ayer la Ley de Ayuda Humanitaria, Reconstrucción y Estado de Derecho de Venezuela del 2018, una legislación que ampliará la ayuda humanitaria y aumentará la presión económica, política y diplomática sobre el gobierno de Venezuela para apoyar los esfuerzos del pueblo venezolano en restaurar su democracia y la prosperidad en su país.

“A medida que el régimen corrupto de Nicolás Maduro adopta una dictadura al estilo cubano y comete crímenes de lesa humanidad, incluyendo el uso forzado del hambre a sus ciudadanos para la coerción política, es vital que los Estados Unidos y nuestros aliados brinden ayuda humanitaria directa a los venezolanos”, dijo el Senador Rubio. “El legado socialista de Maduro ha devastado una economía vibrante y una  nación que una vez fue rica. Me enorgullece el trabajar con mis colegas en un proyecto de ley bipartidista para garantizar que nuestra nación y nuestros aliados estén preparados en ayudar a restablecer el estado de derecho en Venezuela”.

“Mientras millones huyen de la represión, el hambre y la miseria en el país, el régimen criminal de Nicolás Maduro ha convertido a Venezuela en un estado fallido con implicaciones en toda la región. Mientras la catástrofe humanitaria de Venezuela crece a diario, Maduro traiciona las necesidades más urgentes de su pueblo, al tiempo que su círculo de secuaces más cercano saquea las arcas del Estado y se enriquecen de sus turbios negocios con el narcotráfico,” dijo el Senador Menéndez. “Esta propuesta  bipartidista que presentamos hoy es la respuesta más expansiva y consecuente a la crisis venezolana hasta la fecha, proporcionando la ayuda humanitaria, presión política y económica necesarias para que el país vuelva al camino de la democracia”.

Una copia de la ley se puede encontrarse aquí. Puntos claves de la legislación incluyen:

• Ayuda humanitaria para Venezuela
  • $40 millones de dólares adicionales en asistencia humanitaria y un requisito para que el Departamento de Estado realice una conferencia de donantes y avance los esfuerzos en las Naciones Unidas;

• Restaurar la democracia y enfrentar la crisis política en Venezuela
• Apoyo del Congreso a los esfuerzos internacionales para responsabilizar a los funcionarios venezolanos por crímenes de lesa humanidad;
• $15 millones de dólares en apoyo a actores democráticos y de la sociedad civil.

• Apoyo a la Reconstrucción de Venezuela
  • Requisito de que el Departamento de Estado, el Departamento Hacienda y el Departamento Justicia lideren los esfuerzos internacionales para congelar y recuperar los fondos financieros corruptos de funcionarios venezolanos;
  • Planificación acelerada con instituciones financieras internacionales sobre la reconstrucción económica de Venezuela, condicionada a la restauración de la gobernabilidad democrática;

• Restauración del estado de derecho en Venezuela
  • Ampliar sanciones a los funcionarios del gobierno, al tráfico de drogas y el lavado de dinero y la deuda del gobierno venezolano;
  • Requisito para que el Departamento de Estado trabaje con los gobiernos de América Latina en establecer sus propios programas de sanciones para aumentar la coordinación de las sanciones con los aliados europeos y latinoamericanos;
  • Aumento de los informes de inteligencia sobre el papel de los funcionarios venezolanos en casos de corrupción y tráfico de drogas, así como el rol de actores extranjeros en Venezuela.

• Sanciones de criptomoneda
  • Codificación de sanciones sobre la criptomoneda venezolana y las tecnologías relacionadas, y un informe sobre el impacto de las criptomonedas en las sanciones de los Estados Unidos a nivel mundial.

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