Boise City Wire

U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, spearheaded a letter to European Union Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell on behalf of his colleagues. The letter was also signed by Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.).

The senators expressed their "grave concern about the situation in Venezuela, where the criminal Maduro regime is ramping up repression against democratic opposition and civil society actors, prolonging a humanitarian crisis, and threatening neighboring democratic countries." They urged the European Union to renew all existing restrictive measures on Venezuela and leaders in the Maduro regime, aligning its sanctions with those of the United States and Canada.

"Such measures would make it clear to Maduro and his associates that they must allow for the restoration of democratic order in Venezuela – including abiding by their own commitment to allow free and fair elections, with all parties allowed to choose their own candidates, in 2024," they continued. The senators concluded by stating that aligning EU's restrictive measures with those imposed by the U.S. and Canada would send a powerful message to Maduro and his accomplices.

The full text of the letter can be found here. It emphasizes appreciation for EU’s efforts towards a peaceful resolution in Venezuela but urges immediate increased pressure from democratic leaders in Europe due to the continuing crisis. The letter details various human rights abuses committed by the Maduro regime, including barring opposition presidential candidate Maria Corina Machado from holding public office.

The senators note that both Washington and Ottawa have responded to this conflict by imposing financial and diplomatic sanctions on more than 200 Maduro regime officials, as well as several Venezuelan institutions directly responsible for human rights violations and widespread corruption. They have also made clear that sanctions can be removed from individuals who take concrete and meaningful actions to restore democratic order in Venezuela.