Resolution deploring the violent repression of peaceful
demonstrators in Venezuela,
calling for full accountability for human rights violations
taking place in Venezuela, and
in support of the Venezuelan
people’s right for the free and
peaceful exercise of representative democracy
Findings:
Whereas the Government of
Venezuela’s chronic mismanagement of its economy has
produced inflation that exceeds
50 percent annually, currency
shortages, economic distortions, and the routine absence
basic goods and foodstuffs.
Whereas the Government of
Venezuela’s failure to guarantee minimal standards of
public security for its citizens
has led the country to become
one of the most violent in the
world, with the per capita homicide rate in the city of Caracas exceeding 115 per 100,000
people.
Venezuelan people to gather
on street assemblies and debate
a popular, democratic and constitutional “ way out” of Venezuela’s crisis of governability
Whereas since February 4,
2014, the people of Venezuela
- responding to ongoing economic hardship, high levels of
crime and violence, and the
lack of basic political rights
and individual freedoms –
have turned out in demonstrations in Caracas and throughout the country to protest the
Government of Venezuela’s
inability to ensure the political
and economic well-being of its
citizens.
domestic media outlets;
the inexcusable use of violence
and
politically-motivated
Whereas Venezuelan leader criminal charges to intimidate
Nicolás Maduro threatened to the country's political opposiexpel the United States news tion;
network CNN from Venezuela and has taken off the air the (3) Calls on the Government
Colombian news channel NTN of Venezuela to disarm and
24, which transmits in Venezu- dismantle the system of ‘colecela, after news outlets reported tivos’ or ‘collectives’, and any
on the nation-wide protests;
other government-affiliated or
supported militias or vigilante
Whereas the Inter-Ameri- groups;
can Commission on Human
Rights released a statement on (4) Calls on the Government of
February 14, 2014, which `ex- Venezuela to allow an imparpresses its concern over the se- tial, third-party investigation
rious incidents of violence that into the excessive and unlawful
have taken place in the con- force against peaceful demontext of protest demonstrations strations on multiple occasions
in Venezuela, as well as other since February 4th, 2014;
complaints concerning acts of
censorship against media out- (5) Urges the President to imlets, attacks on organizations mediately impose targeted
that defend human rights, and sanctions, including visa bans
acts of alleged political perse- and asset freezes, against indicution'
viduals planning, facilitating,
or perpetrating gross human
Whereas, as of February 27, rights violations against peace2014, there have been 13 peo- ful demonstrators, journalists,
ple killed, over 100 injured, and other members of civil soand dozens have been unjustly ciety in Venezuela; and
detained due to pro-democracy demonstrations throughout (6) Calls for the United States
Venezuela: Now, therefore, be to work with other countries in
it
the hemisphere to actively enR Resolved, that the Senate,
courage a process of dialogue
between the Government of
(1) Reaffirms U.S. support for Venezuela and the political
the people of Venezuela in their opposition through the good
pursuit of the free exercise of offices of the Organization of
representative democracy as American States so that the
guaranteed by the Venezuelan voices of all Venezuelans can
constitution and defined under be taken into account through
the Inter-American Democrat- their country's constitutional
ic Charter of the Organization institutions as well as free and
of American States;
fair elections.
Whereas the government of
Nicolás Maduro responded
to the mass demonstrations
by ordering the arrest without
evidence of senior opposition
leaders, including Mr. Leopoldo Lopez, Carlos Vecchio,
and Antonio Rivero, and by
violently repressing peaceful
demonstrators with the help
of the Venezuelan National
Whereas the Government of Guard and groups of armed,
Venezuela has taken contin- government-affiliated
civilued steps to remove checks ians, known as ‘collectives’;
and balances on the executive,
politicize the judiciary, under- Whereas, on February 18,
mine the independence of the 2014, opposition leader Leoplegislature through use of exec- oldo Lopez turned himself in
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