HM 381 — Venezuela

F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S RCS/HM E P R E S E N T A T I V E S  HM 381 2018 House Memorial A memorial to the Congress of the United States, requesting Congress to urge the regime of President Nicolás Maduro to allow the delivery of humanitarian assistance, to continue and intensify financial sanctions against the regime of President Nicolás Maduro and the Government of Venezuela, and to instruct appropriate Federal agencies to hold the regime of President Nicolás Maduro and officials of the Government of Venezuela accountable for violations of law and abuses of internationally recognized human rights.

WHEREAS, the hallmark of democracy is the free and peaceful exercise of rights guaranteed under the constitution of a democratically elected government, and WHEREAS, in an effort to secure his personal rule and oppress Venezuelan freedoms, the regime of President Nicolás Maduro manipulated elections, established aan congressillegitimate underConstituent hisAssembly control,to undermine the will of the Venezuelan people, nationalized private industry, abandoned private property rights, and generally assumed control over Venezuela's government and its institutions, and WHEREAS, the deterioration of basic governance and the economic crisis in Venezuela have led to an unprecedented humanitarian situation in which people are suffering from severe shortages of basic food products and essential medicines, and Page 1 of 3 CODING:

hm0381-00hm0381-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S RCS/HM E381 P2018 Rhumanitarian Esituation Sin Ewhich Npeople Tare Asuffering Tfrom Isevere Vshortages Eof Sbasic food HMproducts 381and 2018essential medicines, and WHEREAS, despite the massive shortages of basic food products and essential medicines, the regime of President Maduro has rejected repeated requests from civil society organizations to bring humanitarian aid into the country, and WHEREAS, over 8 million Venezuelans voted symbolically for a free and democratic government, and WHEREAS, the regime of President Nicolás Maduro has sought to silence peaceful opposition to his government by killing innocent citizens of Venezuela for their political views, and WHEREAS, those who cherish democratic principles condemn the perpetration of oppression and intimidation against the Venezuelan people, and WHEREAS, to ensure the demise of such oppression and intimidation, it is imperative that the United States Government remains committed to continuing and intensifying financial sanctions against the regime of President Nicolás Maduro and the Government of Venezuela, and WHEREAS, the people of Florida stand proudly with the people of Venezuela in the face of tyranny, NOW, THEREFORE, Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

That the Congress of the United States is requested to urge President Nicolás Maduro to allow the delivery of humanitarian assistance, to continue and intensify financial sanctions Page 2 of 3 CODING:

hm0381-00hm0381-01-c1 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S RCS/HM E381 P2018 RThat Ethe SCongress Eof Nthe TUnited AStates Tis Irequested Vto Eurge Sthe regime HMof 381President 2018Nicolás Maduro to allow the delivery of humanitarian assistance, to continue and intensify financial sanctions against the regime of President Nicolás Maduro and the Government of Venezuela, and to instruct appropriate Federal agencies to hold the regime of President Nicolás Maduro and officials of the Government of Venezuela accountable for violations of law and abuses of internationally recognized human rights.

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