I 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4587 
To impose targeted sanctions on individuals responsible for carrying out 
or ordering human rights abuses against the citizens of Venezuela, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 7, 2014 
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. SALMON, Mr. SIRES, 
Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. MURPHY of Florida, Mr. STOCKMAN, Mr. GARCIA, and 
Ms. BROWN of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee 
on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To impose targeted sanctions on individuals responsible for 
carrying out or ordering human rights abuses against 
the citizens of Venezuela, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Venezuelan Human 
Rights and Democracy Protection Act’’. 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
07:02 May 09, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4587.IH
H4587
tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. DEFINITION. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the 
Committee on Financial Services, the Committee on 
the Judiciary, and the Committee on Ways and 
Means of the House of Representatives; and 
(2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the 
Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, 
and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate. 
SEC. 3. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) On February 12, 2014, also known in Ven-
ezuela as the National Youth Day, students began 
protesting in several cities against Venezuelan leader 
Nicola´s Maduro’s inability to stem violent crime, his 
undemocratic actions, and a rapidly deteriorating 
economy marked by high inflation and shortages of 
consumer goods. 
(2) On February 12, 2014, a judge issued an 
arrest warrant for Leopoldo Lo´pez, leader of the op-
position party Voluntad Popular, for unfounded alle-
gations in connection with the student protests. 
(3) On February 17, 2014, the Government of 
Venezuela notified the United States Department of 
State that it had declared 3 consular officers at the 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
07:02 May 09, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4587.IH
H4587
tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
United States Embassy in Venezuela personae non 
gratae. 
(4) On February 18, 2014, opposition leader 
Leopoldo Lo´pez turned himself in to Venezuelan au-
thorities, was arrested, and charged with criminal 
incitement, conspiracy, arson, and intent to damage 
property. 
(5) Leopoldo Lo´pez is currently being held in a 
prison at a military facility. 
(6) Nongovernmental human rights organiza-
tions have alleged that the charges brought against 
Leopoldo Lo´pez appear to be a politically motivated 
attempt to silence dissent in the country. 
(7) As of May 1, 2014, there have been 41 peo-
ple killed, a reported 60 cases of torture, over 100 
injured, and many unjustly detained in relation to 
pro-democracy 
demonstrations 
throughout 
Ven-
ezuela. 
(8) On February 19, 2014, President Obama 
criticized the Government of Venezuela for arresting 
protesters, called for their release, and urged the 
government to focus on the ‘‘legitimate grievances of 
the Venezuelan people’’. 
(9) According to the Department of State’s 
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
07:02 May 09, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4587.IH
H4587
tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2013 for Venezuela, ‘‘The principal human rights 
abuses reported during the year included corruption, 
politicization in the judicial system, and government 
actions to impede freedom of expression and restrict 
freedom of the press. The government did not re-
spect judicial independence or permit judges to act 
according to the law without fear of retaliation. The 
government used the judiciary to intimidate and se-
lectively prosecute political, union, business, and civil 
society leaders who were critical of government poli-
cies or actions. The government harassed and intimi-
dated privately owned television stations, other 
media outlets, and journalists throughout the year, 
using threats, fines, property seizures, targeted reg-
ulations, arrests, and criminal investigations and 
prosecutions.’’. 
(10) According to the Department of State’s 
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 
2013 for Venezuela, ‘‘The following human rights 
problems were reported by NGOs, the media, and in 
some cases the government itself: unlawful killings, 
including summary killings by police elements; tor-
ture and other cruel, inhumane, or degrading treat-
ment; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions 
and lack of due process rights that contributed to 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
07:02 May 09, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4587.IH
H4587
tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
widespread violence, riots, injuries, and deaths in 
prisons; inadequate juvenile detention centers; arbi-
trary arrests and detentions; corruption and impu-
nity in police forces; political prisoners; interference 
with privacy rights; corruption at all levels of gov-
ernment; threats against domestic NGOs; violence 
against women; anti-Semitism in the official media; 
trafficking in persons; violence based on sexual ori-
entation and gender identity; and restrictions on 
workers’ right of association.’’. 
(11) According to Freedom House’s Freedom in 
the World report of 2013 on Venezuela, ‘‘Nicola´s 
Maduro, further weakened the independent media, 
reduced the opposition’s ability to serve as a check 
on government policy, and made threats to civil soci-
ety groups.’’. 
SEC. 4. ACTIONS AT THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN 
STATES. 
The Secretary of State shall direct the United States 
Permanent Representative to the Organization of Amer-
ican States to use the voice, vote, and influence of the 
United States at the Organization of American States to 
defend and protect the Inter-American Democratic Char-
ter, and strengthen the independent Inter-American Com-
mission on Human Rights to advance the protection of 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
07:02 May 09, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4587.IH
H4587
tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
human rights throughout the Western Hemisphere, espe-
cially in Venezuela. 
SEC. 5. SANCTIONS ON PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR VIO-
LENCE IN VENEZUELA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall impose the 
sanctions described in subsection (b) with respect to any 
person, including a current or former official of the Gov-
ernment of Venezuela or a person acting on behalf of that 
Government, that the President determines— 
(1) has perpetrated, or is responsible for order-
ing, controlling, or otherwise directing, significant 
acts of violence or serious human rights abuses in 
Venezuela against individuals participating in pro-
tests in Venezuela that began on February 12, 2014; 
(2) has directed or ordered the arrest or pros-
ecution of a person primarily because of the person’s 
legitimate exercise of freedom of expression or as-
sembly in relation to the protests in Venezuela that 
began on February 12, 2014; 
(3) has knowingly materially assisted, spon-
sored, or provided significant financial, material, or 
technological support for, or goods or services in 
support of, the commission of acts described in para-
graph (1) or (2) in relation to protests in Venezuela 
that began on February 12, 2014; or 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
07:02 May 09, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4587.IH
H4587
tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
(4) has engaged in censorship against individ-
uals or media outlets disseminating information in 
relation to protests in Venezuela that began on Feb-
ruary 12, 2014. 
(b) SANCTIONS DESCRIBED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The sanctions described in 
this subsection are the following: 
(A) ASSET BLOCKING.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—The exercise of all 
powers granted to the President by the 
International Emergency Economic Powers 
Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) to the extent 
necessary to block and prohibit all trans-
actions in all property and interests in 
property of a person determined by the 
President to be subject to subsection (a) if 
such property and interests in property are 
in the United States, come within the 
United States, or are within the possession 
or control of a United States person. 
(ii) EXCEPTION.— 
(I) IN GENERAL.—The authority 
to impose sanctions under clause (i) 
shall not include the authority to im-
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
01:31 May 16, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4587.IH
H4587
tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
pose sanctions relating to the importa-
tion of goods. 
(II) GOOD
DEFINED.—In sub-
clause (I), the term ‘‘good’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 16 
of the Export Administration Act of 
1979 (50 U.S.C. App. 2415) (as con-
tinued in effect pursuant to the Inter-
national Emergency Economic Powers 
Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et. seq.)). 
(B) ALIENS INELIGIBLE FOR VISAS, AD-
MISSION, OR PAROLE.— 
(i) VISAS, ADMISSION, OR PAROLE.— 
An alien who is a person determined by the 
President to be subject to subsection (a) 
is— 
(I) inadmissible to the United 
States; 
(II) ineligible to receive a visa or 
other documentation to enter the 
United States; and 
(III) otherwise ineligible to be 
admitted or paroled into the United 
States or to receive any other benefit 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
07:02 May 09, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4587.IH
H4587
tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
under the Immigration and Nation-
ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.). 
(ii) CURRENT VISAS REVOKED.— 
(I) IN
GENERAL.—The issuing 
consular officer, the Secretary of 
State, or the Secretary of Homeland 
Security (or a designee of one of such 
Secretaries) shall revoke any visa or 
other entry documentation issued to 
an alien who meets any of the criteria 
described in subsection (a), regardless 
of when issued. 
(II) EFFECT OF REVOCATION.— 
A revocation under subclause (I) shall 
take effect immediately; and shall 
automatically cancel any other valid 
visa or entry documentation that is in 
the alien’s possession. 
(2) PENALTIES.—A person that violates, at-
tempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a 
violation of paragraph (1)(A) or any regulation, li-
cense, or order issued to carry out paragraph (1)(A) 
shall be subject to the penalties set forth in sub-
sections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the Inter-
national Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
07:02 May 09, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4587.IH
H4587
tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
U.S.C. 1705) to the same extent as a person that 
commits an unlawful act described in subsection (a) 
of that section. 
(3) EXCEPTION TO COMPLY WITH UNITED NA-
TIONS
HEADQUARTERS
AGREEMENT.—Sanctions 
under paragraph (1)(B) shall not apply to an alien 
if admitting the alien into the United States is nec-
essary to permit the United States to comply with 
the Agreement regarding the Headquarters of the 
United Nations, signed at Lake Success June 26, 
1947, and entered into force November 21, 1947, 
between the United Nations and the United States, 
or other applicable international obligations. 
(c) WAIVER.—The President may waive the applica-
tion of sanctions under subsection (b) with respect to a 
person if the President— 
(1) determines that such a waiver is in the na-
tional security interests of the United States and on 
or before the date on which the waiver takes effect, 
submits to the appropriate congressional committees 
a notice of and justification for the waiver; or 
(2) determines that the conditions in Venezuela 
have improved with regard to respect for peaceful 
protest and basic human rights and on or before the 
date on which the waiver takes effect, submits to the 
VerDate Mar 15 2010 
07:02 May 09, 2014
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H4587.IH
H4587
tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS