Senate Passes Venezuela Resolution as Crisis Deepens

Statement

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday expressing its profound concern about the ongoing political, economic, social, and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, urging the immediate release of political prisoners, and calling for respect of constitutional and democratic processes.

The resolution also affirms its support for the efforts of Organization of American States Secretary General Luis Almagro and encourages OAS member states to take additional steps to address the ongoing crisis in Venezuela.

The situation in Venezuela has continued to deteriorate. President Maduro's government failed to meet its commitments under a Vatican-sponsored dialogue, opposition leaders and supporters remain political prisoners, and the quality of life for average Venezuelans continues to decline rapidly.

"The longer President Maduro and his government remain intransigent in their backward, law-breaking positions, the longer the Venezuelan people will suffer," said U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Foreign Relations Committee and the Resolution's lead sponsor. "Our resolution sends a clear signal to Mr. Maduro that he must urgently allow for international humanitarian relief to protect and save Venezuelan lives. We also call on the Venezuelan government to take overdue steps to address corruption and criminality, ensure human rights, free political prisoners, and restore respect for its own Constitution."

"I thank my Senate colleagues for supporting this bipartisan resolution calling for the government of Venezuela to respect the constitutional and democratic processes and release all political prisoners," said U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. "America must continue to support the people of Venezuela, and I look forward to working with the Trump Administration to fully implement the Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Extension Act. Venezuelan officials who break the law and violate the rights of the Venezuelan people must be held accountable."

"Venezuela is headed for catastrophe. We can see it in the long lines, blackouts, and civil unrest plaguing the country, and yet the Maduro government continues to ignore the countless calls for adherence to democratic norms and respect for civil liberties," said U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the Democratic Whip. "Today, the United States Senate stands with the people of Venezuela, who continue to pay the price of their government's obstinate refusal to change course."

On Thursday, the Foreign Relations Committee will hold a hearing entitled, "Venezuela: Options for U.S. Policy."

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