U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., announced Thursday that he was introducing a resolution “deploring violence in Venezuela [and] calling for full accountability of human rights violations” there.
He was joined by two Democratic Senators — Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez of New Jersey, and Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin of Illinois, according to Rubio’s press release.
“With the Venezuelan people struggling and sacrificing for freedom, liberty and human rights, they deserve to have their voices be heard, and they deserve the world’s leading defender of human rights to be on their side,” Rubio said. “Nicolás Maduro and his thugs must be held accountable for the atrocities committed against the people of Venezuela, including unjust incarcerations, violent repression and killing of innocent protestors.
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“This Resolution urges President Obama to immediately impose targeted sanctions that are already possible under existing law and encourage a process of dialogue between Venezuela’s government and the political opposition,” Rubio added. “It is time for the United States to support the Venezuelan people’s pursuit of a safe and democratic way of life, as guaranteed under their constitution.”
Rubio also took a swipe at former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for remarks she had made Wednesday at the University of Miami. Her comments, in his opinion, demonstrated a “muddled position” on Venezuelan democracy. He made these remarks during an interview Thursday with the Miami Herald.
A muddled foreign policy has been an ongoing complaint throughout the Obama administration from the beginning. Clinton served as secretary of state throughout Obama’s first term.
