I 
113TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4229 
To seek international sanctions against the Government of Venezuela with 
respect to foreign persons responsible for or complicit in ordering, con-
trolling, or otherwise directing, the commission of serious human rights 
abuses against citizens of Venezuela, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 13, 2014 
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. SIRES, Mr. SALMON, 
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. DESANTIS, Mr. DEUTCH, Mr. GARCIA, 
Mr. BILIRAKIS, and Ms. FRANKEL of Florida) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in ad-
dition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, and Finan-
cial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To seek international sanctions against the Government of 
Venezuela with respect to foreign persons responsible 
for or complicit in ordering, controlling, or otherwise 
directing, the commission of serious human rights abuses 
against 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, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Venezuelan Liberty 
and Democratic Solidarity Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
the House of Representatives; and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Relations of 
the Senate. 
(2) SENSITIVE TECHNOLOGY.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘sensitive 
technology’’ means hardware, software, tele-
communications equipment, or any other tech-
nology that the President determines is to be 
used specifically to— 
(i) restrict the free flow of unbiased 
information; or 
(ii) disrupt, monitor, or otherwise re-
strict freedom of speech. 
(B) EXCEPTION.—The term ‘‘sensitive 
technology’’ does not include information or in-
formational materials the exportation of which 
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the President does not have the authority to 
regulate. 
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 
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 unjustly charged with 
criminal incitement, conspiracy, arson, and intent to 
damage property. 
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(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 March 13, 2014, there have been 24 
people killed, over 100 injured, and many persons 
unjustly detained in relation to pro-democracy dem-
onstrations throughout Venezuela. 
(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 
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-
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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 
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-
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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 
human rights throughout the Western Hemisphere, espe-
cially in Venezuela. 
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