EMAIL FROM SENATOR McCAIN regarding my inquiry......PASS IT ALONG.... Senator John McCain Today at 3:03 PM December 11, 2014 Ms. Marianela Rios Dear Friend: Thank you for contacting me regarding the recent protests and ongoing struggle for democracy in Venezuela. This is an important topic and I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your concerns. Venezuelas institutions and economy are clearly failing, and government policies established by Hugo Chavez and continued by current President Nicolas Maduro are squarely to blame. High levels of crime, chronic scarcity of food and basic necessities, and rampant inflation have fundamentally undermined Venezuelans ability to provide for themselves, much less prosper. Declining social, political, and economic conditions spurred massive popular protests in February 2014. Though the protests were initially peaceful, the Venezuelan government responded with violence, resulting in reports of at least 39 deaths as of April 2014. As Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committees Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere and Global Narcotics Affairs, I am keenly aware of, and deeply concerned by, the Maduro administrations ruthless response to these protests and its implications for democracy and stability in Venezuela. That is why I cosponsored S. Res. 365 on March 14, 2014, which reaffirms U.S. support for the Venezuelan people in their desire for democratic reforms and the right to peacefully petition their government. Additionally, the resolution condemns the use of force against the demonstrators and calls on President Obama to impose targeted sanctions against those involved in the abhorrent human rights violations against these protestors. Venezuela finds itself at a critical juncture. The countrys economy is contracting and its once-thriving oil sector is suffering from chronic mismanagement and a lack of investment. I also remain concerned by Venezuelas relationship with countries like Iran and Cuba, and its support of transnational terror groups including Hezbollah. Rest assured that I remain committed to promoting democratic institutions and respect for human rights that would benefit all Venezuelans and contribute to regional and global security. Again, thank you for contacting me on this important issue. Please feel free to contact me on this or any other matter in the future. Sincerely, John McCain United States Senator JM/id
Posted on: Fri, 12 Dec 2014 00:59:43 +0000
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