Venezuelan Human Rights and Democracy Protection Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I also rise in support of this important resolution, the Venezuelan Human Rights and Democracy Protection Act.

I first, Mr. Speaker, want to start by thanking my dear friend, a tireless champion for human rights and democracy around the world. She has thanked, and rightfully so, a number of people who have helped with this important legislation. But we would not be dealing with this issue on the floor if it weren't for the tireless effort, the constant and tireless struggle, fight, solidarity, and efforts of my dear friend, my sister, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. Those people around the world who are struggling in gulags and struggling for their freedom know that they have in Ileana Ros-Lehtinen a true champion, and, once again, we see that leadership here today.

Mr. Speaker, since mid-February, the people of Venezuela--led mostly by students, by the way--have risen up to protest the corruption, the food shortages, the crime rates, and the alarming repression that have worsened during Maduro's few months in office, in control.

In response to these legitimate peaceful grievances, Mr. Speaker, what the Venezuelan regime has done is they have ordered security forces to brutally crack down--brutally with great force and brutality--crack down on the opposition. They have used unlawful force. They have used severe beatings and beatings of unarmed protesters, mostly students, and, by the way, even shooting some of them pointblank. They even jailed some of the main opposition leaders on phony charges, Mr. Speaker.

Since the protests began, as you have already heard, more than 40 people have been killed, about 3,000 people have been arrested, many have disappeared, and hundreds more have been injured, Mr. Speaker. In addition,

Maduro's regime has instituted a virtual media blackout, blocking images even over the Internet and, by the way, even expelling journalists, including CNN and NTN. Just this past weekend alone, the Venezuelan regime blocked a CNN news crew from covering local elections. Obviously, they don't want anybody there who can show when and how they are stealing those sham elections.

It is shameful, Mr. Speaker, that the Chavez-Maduro regime policies have managed to really get one of the richest economies in Latin America, the largest oil exporter in Latin America, and they have made it apparently a poverty-ridden nation. People now face shortages of some of the most basic commodities, Mr. Speaker. And, by the way, inflation is about 50 percent over the last year. So no wonder the people are struggling.

Maduro has intensified his intimidation tactics, though, by increasing political arrests and by militarizing his response, using thugs to respond to the peaceful opposition members and students who are in the streets demanding freedom. He has been labeling those unarmed opposition leaders as terrorists and also enemies of the state. We have heard that before, Mr. Speaker.

This bill, frankly, just directs our administration to rightly deny visas, to freeze assets, and prohibit financial transactions to the members of the Venezuelan regime responsible, Mr. Speaker, those responsible for committing these human rights abuses. These corrupt cowards who now have blood on their hands shouldn't be allowed to travel to our country while they continue to brutalize their fellow students, the students who are in the streets demanding freedom and the regaining of their sovereignty.

It is time to hold these human rights abusers accountable. Those complicit with those egregious acts of human rights violations, Mr. Speaker, they have to be named. They must be named and shamed. And they need to suffer the consequences of their actions.

So, Mr. Speaker, I have the great fortune and privilege of representing a patriotic and vibrant Venezuelan American community in southern Florida. They continue to bring attention to these deplorable conditions of those in Venezuela while the vast majority of the international community that some would like us to yield to their wishes, but yet they are not saying anything. The Venezuelan people are standing up--in many cases dying in the streets--and the vast majority of the international community is silent. So some would have us just also be silent.

With the passage of this bill, the United States House of Representatives will send a strong signal that we stand in solidarity with the Venezuelan people. As they struggle to regain democracy and to regain their freedom from the Maduro regime, this House, the United States of America, the people's House, stands with them. So I urge the support of my colleagues on this commonsense resolution.

I keep hearing people that I greatly respect: Well, but not all Venezuelans support sanctions. No. The regime doesn't support the sanctions. But this House, led by this leader right here sitting next to me, was instrumental in strengthening sanctions against Iran when a lot of the international community was against it and, frankly, when the administration--our own administration--was lukewarm at best. But this House stood firm. This House stands for freedom and democracy. And, today, once again, this House can stand proudly side by side with those who are giving their all in the streets of Venezuela to regain their freedom, their sovereignty and their dignity.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this important legislation.

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