U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee, made the following statement regarding Maduro's threat to sanction Venezuelans in the United States and also sanction the United States in response to Rep. Ros-Lehtinen's bill -- H.R. 4587, the Venezuelan Human Rights and Democracy Protection Act -- which would impose sanctions against Maduro regime officials responsible for human rights violations in Venezuela.
Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:
"Maduro is yet again showing his true despotic nature by seeking to quash any dissent, whether at home or abroad. The people of Venezuela deserve better and are entitled to have their grievances respected and for reforms to be implemented seeking a democratic future. Maduro now threatens reprisals toward Venezuelan-Americans and the United States as another diversion tactic while the Venezuelan people protest the injustices committed by his regime on a daily basis. The growing support in Congress for the Venezuelan Human Rights and Democracy Protection Act shows that Maduro's repressive tactics do not resonate and only strengthen our resolve to punish his despicable actions toward the Venezuelan people. We must stand firm with the Venezuelan people and show this feckless autocrat that he does not, for one moment, believe that his attempts at intimidation have worked."
NOTE: Ros-Lehtinen has introduced the Venezuelan Human Rights and Democracy Protection Act, which is slated for mark-up by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Friday, May 9. This legislation would deny visas to enter the United States, blocks property, freezes assets, and prohibits financial transactions to members of the Venezuelan regime who are responsible for the commission of serious human rights abuses against the citizens of Venezuela and have engaged in censorship against individuals or media outlets disseminating information in relation to protests in Venezuela.