[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 488 Engrossed in House (EH)]

H. Res. 488

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                         March 4, 2014.
Whereas the United States Government should support the rule of law, and free 
        and peaceful exercise of representative democracy in Venezuela, 
        condemning violence and intimidation against the country's political 
        opposition, and calling for dialogue between all political actors in the 
        country;
Whereas, on February 12, 2014, also known in Venezuela as the National Youth 
        Day, students began protesting in several cities Venezuelan leader 
        Nicolas Maduro's inability to stem violent crime, his undemocratic 
        actions, and a rapidly deteriorating economy marked by high inflation 
        and shortages of consumer goods;
Whereas, on February 12, 2014, a judge issued an arrest warrant for Leopoldo 
        Lopez, leader of the opposition party Voluntad Popular, for unfounded 
        allegations in connection with the student protests;
Whereas, on February 17, 2014, the Government of Venezuela notified the United 
        States Department of State that it had declared 3 consular officers at 
        the United States Embassy in Venezuela personae non gratae;
Whereas over the last year, the Government of Venezuela has expelled a total of 
        8 United States Government officials from Venezuela;
Whereas, on February 18, 2014, opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez turned himself 
        in to Venezuelan authorities, was arrested, and charged with criminal 
        incitement, conspiracy, arson, and intent to damage property;
Whereas Leopoldo Lopez is currently being held in a prison at a military 
        facility;
Whereas nongovernmental human rights organizations have alleged that the charges 
        brought against Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez appear to be 
        a politically motivated attempt to silence dissent in the country;
Whereas the Venezuelan Government has blocked users' online images as opposition 
        groups marched through Caracas;
Whereas the Venezuelan people have been protesting economic, social, and 
        political concerns facing their country, including corruption, rising 
        inflation rates, shortages of everyday products, increasing crime rates, 
        and the erosion of human rights and respect for political dissent;
Whereas, on February 19, 2014, President Barack Obama criticized the Venezuelan 
        Government for arresting protesters, called for their release, and urged 
        the government to focus on the ``legitimate grievances of the Venezuelan 
        people'';
Whereas, as of February 26, 2014, there have been 14 people killed, over 100 
        injured, and many persons unjustly detained in relation to pro-democracy 
        demonstrations throughout Venezuela;
Whereas Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro threatened to expel the United States 
        news network CNN from Venezuela and has taken off the air the Colombian 
        news channel NTN 24, which transmits in Venezuela, after news outlets 
        reported on the nation-wide protests;
Whereas the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights released a statement on 
        February 14, 2014, which ``expresses its concern over the serious 
        incidents of violence that have taken place in the context of protest 
        demonstrations in Venezuela, as well as other complaints concerning acts 
        of censorship against media outlets, attacks on organizations that 
        defend human rights, and acts of alleged political persecution''; and
Whereas as a member of the Organization of American States and signatory to the 
        Inter-American Democratic Charter, the Government of Venezuela has 
        agreed to abide by the principles of constitutional, representative 
        democracy, which include free and fair elections and adherence to its 
        own constitution: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the people of Venezuela in their pursuit of freedom of 
        expression and freedom of assembly to promote democratic principles in 
        Venezuela;
            (2) deplores acts which constitute a disregard for the rule of law, 
        the inexcusable violence perpetrated against opposition leaders and 
        protesters in Venezuela, and the growing efforts to use politically 
        motivated criminal charges to intimidate the country's political 
        opposition;
            (3) urges responsible nations throughout the international community 
        to stand in solidarity with the people of Venezuela and to actively 
        encourage a process of dialogue between the Government of Venezuela and 
        the political opposition to end the violence;
            (4) urges the United States Department of State to work in concert 
        with other countries in the Americas to take meaningful steps to ensure 
        that basic fundamental freedoms in Venezuela are in accordance with the 
        Inter-American Democratic Charter and to strengthen the ability of the 
        Organization of American States (OAS) to respond to the erosion of 
        democratic norms and institutions in Venezuela;
            (5) urges the Organization of American States and its Inter-American 
        Commission on Human Rights to utilize its good offices and all 
        mechanisms at its disposal to seek the most effective way to 
        expeditiously end the violence in Venezuela in accordance with the 
        Inter-American Democratic Charter; and
            (6) supports efforts by international and multilateral organizations 
        to urge the Venezuelan Government to adopt measures to guarantee the 
        rights to life, humane treatment, and security, and the political 
        freedoms of assembly, association, and expression to all of the people 
        of Venezuela.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.