Marco Rubio Urges Obama to Crack Down on Venezuelan Leaders

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a member of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee and a possible Republican presidential hopeful in 2016, called upon President Barack Obama on Wednesday to crack down on the Maduro regime in charge of Venezuela. Rubio wrote Obama, asking him to free the assets of Venezuelan leaders and prohibit them from entering the U.S, due to their continued actions against protesters.

Three months ago, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution urging you to impose targeted sanctions, including visa bans and asset freezes, against officials involved in this ongoing repression, Rubio wrote, before mentioning he had been working with two Democratic senators -- Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Bill Nelson of Florida -- on the matter. I have been working with Sens. Menendez and Nelson on legislation that would impose such sanctions immediately. I intend to seek Senate passage of this bill in the coming weeks, a version of which the House of Representatives has already passed, to ensure that Congress continues to send a strong message to the Maduro regime.

I urge you to heed these bipartisan calls from Congress and take action immediately. You already have the ability to begin to make life more difficult for those involved in brutal human rights abuses and corruption, added Rubio. By preventing these individuals and their families from traveling to and investing in the United States, you can make clear that those who violate the Venezuelan people's fundamental freedoms will pay a significant price.