Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014

Floor Speech

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Mr. VARGAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2142, the Venezuelan Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014, and yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen--thank you for your leadership on this--and also Senator Menendez for his leadership on this legislation. I also want to thank, once again, Chairman Royce, who has approached this issue in a bipartisan way, as he always does.

Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen's bill passed the House unanimously in May, and I am pleased that we are now ready to send this bill to the President's desk.

The world has watched closely over the last year as Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has stifled the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people. Peaceful protesters seeking basic rights and dignity have been met with violence. Forty-two people were tragically killed and 800 were injured on both sides of the conflict. We mourn all of their losses. At the same time, the Maduro government has arrested political opponents and stood in the way of a free press.

Nearly 10 minutes after his arrest, opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez remains in jail on trumped-up charges. The U.N. Committee Against Torture, seven former Latin American Presidents, and the leaders around the world have called for Leopoldo's release.

Last week, Venezuelan opposition leader and former National Assembly Deputy Maria Corina Machado was charged for conspiring to assassinate President Maduro, another desperate move by a desperate government. Maduro's government even considers the U.S. Ambassador to Colombia in on this bizarre conspiracy. It would be humorous if it wasn't so sad and dangerous.

The legislation that we are considering today makes it clear that Congress will not turn a blind eye to the human rights violations in Venezuela. By stripping human rights violators of their visas, we are saying that those responsible for abuses in Venezuela are not welcome in the United States. By freezing their assets, we are making it clear that those who violate human rights in Venezuela won't have access to financial institutions in the United States.

Venezuela's leaders will say this bill is going to hurt the average Venezuelan citizen. That is nonsense. These sanctions won't touch the oil sector or other vital parts of the Venezuelan economy. They only affect those complicit in the recent crackdowns.

Finally, I will note that this bill gives President Obama needed flexibility to respond to events on the ground in Venezuela. Each and every sanction in this bill can be waived by the President at any time.

Let's stand with the people of Venezuela and support the immediate passage of S. 2142.

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Mr. VARGAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

In closing, I would like to emphasize, once again, that today's legislation is consistent with our treatment of human rights violators throughout the world.

Will this legislation all of a sudden turn President Maduro and his government into great respecters of human rights? None of us are naive enough to believe this, but what it will do is it will send a message to human rights violators in Venezuela and throughout the world that your visas and your assets in U.S. financial institutions are in peril if you abuse individuals' human rights.

I once again urge my colleagues to support the immediate passage of S. 2142.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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