Venezuela was on the mind of members of the Florida congressional delegation this week as members stressed their opposition to Nicolas Maduros regime.
At a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., pressed Antony Blinken on U.S. policy toward Venezuela and other Latin American nations. Blinken is President Barack Obamas nominee to be deputy secretary of state.
On Wednesday, Blinken said the administration backed Rubios Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014 which would impose sanctions on leaders of the Maduro regime.
I am encouraged that the Obama administration finally announced its support for legislation pending before the Senate that would impose visa and financial sanctions on individuals committing human rights abuses in Venezuela, Rubio said after the hearing. In addition to the visa freezes the administration is already implementing against such individuals, they should immediately freeze the financial assets of these individuals.
Two South Florida Democrats also warned President Barack Obama about the Maduro regime in a letter sent to the White House on Wednesday. Noting that the population of Venezuelans in the United State has doubled since Hugo Chavez took power, outgoing U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, D-Fla., and U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., urged Obama to include Venezuelans in his executive action granting amnesty to illegal aliens.
While conditions in Venezuela have been deteriorating for quite some time, this past year has seen an unprecedented amount of instability, violence, and human rights abuses, Garcia said. The U.S. government should stand with those who have fled this oppressive regime. They have formed an integral part of South Floridas cultural fabric, and their inclusion in the presidents actions falls perfectly in line with the purpose of administrative relief: keeping families and communities together.
Reports emerged this week that Maduro said his regime in Venezuela is running a large spy operation in the U.S. and two Florida Republicans who have been sharp critics -- Rubio and U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen -- are targets.
I'm greatly honored that this despotic regime that imprisons innocent opposition leaders, denies basic human rights to all, and kills students peacefully demonstrating in the streets would find me to be a thorn in its side, Ros-Lehtinen said on Monday. Being a target of an autocratic regime, whether it is the Castro brothers or Nicolas Maduro, is a badge of honor. The Venezuelan people endure continual violations of their human rights, suffer from a spiraling economy, and live with constant violence sanctioned by the Venezuelan regime.
This latest episode by the Venezuelan regime is another reaffirmation that the puppeteers in Cuba continue to influence Maduro to adopt a system that denies fundamental freedoms to its people and attacks those who seek justice and liberty, Ros-Lehtinen added. Maduro's comrades-in-arms, the Castro brothers, have labeled me as La Loba Feroz (The Ferocious She-Wolf) so I'm honored that another thug would target me for trying to be a voice for the Venezuelan people who are currently suffering under this brutal regime. But I will not be deterred and will continue to push for sanctions for human rights violators in Venezuela.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
