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Author: Congressional Research Congressional Research Service
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781539688327
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 58
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Book Description
This report, divided into three main sections, examines the political and economic situation in Venezuela and U.S.-Venezuelan relations. The first section surveys the political transformation of Venezuela under the populist rule of President Hugo Ch�vez (1999-2013) and the first two years of the government of President Nicol�s Maduro, including the government's severe crackdown on opposition protests in 2014. The second section analyzes Venezuela's political and economic environment since 2015, including the opposition's December 2015 legislative victory and the Maduro government's attempts to thwart the powers of the legislature; efforts to remove President Maduro through a recall referendum; deteriorating economic and social conditions in the country; and the government's foreign policy orientation. The third section examines U.S. relations with Venezuela, including the imposition of sanctions on Venezuelan officials, and selected issues in U.S. relations-democracy and human rights, energy, counternarcotics, and terrorism concerns. Appendix A provides information on legislative initiatives in the 113th and 114th Congresses, and Appendix B provides links to selected U.S. government reports on Venezuela.
Author: Congressional Research Congressional Research Service
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781539688327
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 58
Get Book Here
Book Description
This report, divided into three main sections, examines the political and economic situation in Venezuela and U.S.-Venezuelan relations. The first section surveys the political transformation of Venezuela under the populist rule of President Hugo Ch�vez (1999-2013) and the first two years of the government of President Nicol�s Maduro, including the government's severe crackdown on opposition protests in 2014. The second section analyzes Venezuela's political and economic environment since 2015, including the opposition's December 2015 legislative victory and the Maduro government's attempts to thwart the powers of the legislature; efforts to remove President Maduro through a recall referendum; deteriorating economic and social conditions in the country; and the government's foreign policy orientation. The third section examines U.S. relations with Venezuela, including the imposition of sanctions on Venezuelan officials, and selected issues in U.S. relations-democracy and human rights, energy, counternarcotics, and terrorism concerns. Appendix A provides information on legislative initiatives in the 113th and 114th Congresses, and Appendix B provides links to selected U.S. government reports on Venezuela.
Author: Congressional Research Service
Publisher: Independently Published
ISBN: 9781795718325
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 56
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Book Description
Venezuela remains in a deep political crisis under the authoritarian rule of President Nicolás Maduro of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). Maduro, narrowly elected in 2013 after the death of Hugo Chávez (1999-2013), is unpopular. Nevertheless, he has used the courts, security forces, and electoral council to repress the opposition. On January 10, 2019, Maduro began a second term after winning reelection on May 20, 2018, in an unfair contest deemed illegitimate by the opposition-controlled National Assembly and most of the international community. The United States, the European Union, the Group of Seven, and most Western Hemisphere countries do not recognize the legitimacy of his mandate. They view the National Assembly as Venezuela's only democratic institution. Maduro's inauguration capped his efforts to consolidate power. In 2017, protesters called for Maduro to release political prisoners and respect the opposition-led National Assembly. Security forces quashed protests, with more than 130 killed and thousands injured. Maduro then orchestrated the controversial July 2017 election of a National Constituent Assembly; this assembly has usurped most legislative functions. During 2018, Maduro'﷿s government arrested dissident military officers and others suspected of plotting against him. Efforts to silence dissent may increase, as the National Assembly (under its new president, Juan Guaidó), the United States, and the international community push for a transition to a new government. Venezuela also is experiencing a serious economic crisis, and rapid contraction of the economy, hyperinflation, and severe shortages of food and medicine have created a humanitarian crisis. President Maduro has blamed U.S. sanctions for these problems, while conditioning receipt of food assistance on support for his government and increasing military control over the economy. He maintains that Venezuela will seek to restructure its debts, although that appears unlikely. The government and state oil company Petróleos de Venezuela, S. A. (PdVSA) defaulted on bond payments in 2017. Lawsuits over nonpayment and seizures of PdVSA assets are likely. U.S. Policy The United States historically had close relations with Venezuela, a major U.S. oil supplier, but relations have deteriorated under the Chávez and Maduro governments. U.S. policymakers have expressed concerns about the deterioration of human rights and democracy in Venezuela and the country's lack of cooperation on counternarcotics and counterterrorism efforts. U.S. democracy and human rights funding, totaling $15 million in FY2018 (P.L. 115-141), has aimed to support civil society. The Trump Administration has employed targeted sanctions against Venezuelan officials responsible for human rights violations, undermining democracy, and corruption, as well as on individuals and entities engaged in drug trafficking. Since 2017, the Administration has imposed a series of broader sanctions restricting Venezuelan government access to U.S. financial markets and prohibiting transactions involving the Venezuelan government's issuance of digital currency and Venezuelan debt. The Administration provided almost $97 million in humanitarian assistance to neighboring countries sheltering more than 3 million Venezuelans.
Author: Mark P. Sullivan
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
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Book Description
This report examines the political and economic situation in Venezuela and U.S.-Venezuelan relations. It is divided into three main sections -- political background, current political and economic environment, U.S. relations and policy -- and also includes introductory and outlook information.
Author: Mark Sullivan
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
ISBN: 9781540471987
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 58
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Book Description
Discusses the current state of Venezuelan politics, domestic tensions of the Maduro administrations, and U.S. policy positions regarding Venezuela. This Congressional Research Service Report R43239 was published in October 2016.
Author: Rebecca M. Nelson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Economic sanctions, American
Languages : en
Pages : 36
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Book Description
Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : United States
Languages : en
Pages : 53
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Book Description
Author: Congressional Service
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781987654622
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 48
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Book Description
Venezuela is in the midst of a political crisis under the authoritarian rule of President Nicolás Maduro of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV). Narrowly elected to a six-year term in 2013 following the death of populist President Hugo Chávez, Maduro is deeply unpopular. Nevertheless, he has used the courts, security forces, and electoral council to repress and divide the opposition, grouped in the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) coalition.In spring/summer 2017 security forces quashed protests, with more than 130 killed and thousands injured. Maduro then orchestrated the controversial July 2017 election of a National Constituent Assembly (ANC) to rewrite the constitution.President Maduro has consolidated power over a divided opposition. The PSUV dominated gubernatorial and municipal elections held in 2017, although fraud likely occurred in both contests. In January 2018, the ANC called for presidential elections to be moved up from late 2018 to April and barred many parties from participating. After negotiations, the election was moved to May 20, 2018.Venezuela also is experiencing a serious economic crisis, marked by rapid contraction of the economy, hyperinflation, and severe shortages of food and medicine. President Maduro has blamed U.S. sanctions and corruption for the country's economic problems, while distributing food to critical voter blocks, increasing military control over the economy, and launching a digital currency to try to evade U.S. sanctions. He maintains Venezuela will seek to restructure its debts, although that appears unlikely. The government and Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), the state oil company, defaulted on some bond payments in November 2017.U.S. PolicyThe United States historically has had close relations with Venezuela, a major U.S. foreign oil supplier, but friction in relations increased under the Chávez government and has intensified under the Maduro regime. For more than a decade, U.S. policymakers have had concerns about the deterioration of human rights and democratic conditions in Venezuela and the lack of bilateral cooperation on counternarcotics and counterterrorism efforts. U.S. funding and political support have bolstered civil society in Venezuela and Organization of American States (OAS) efforts to address the country's crisis.As the situation in Venezuela has deteriorated, the Trump Administration has employed targeted sanctions against Venezuelan officials responsible for human rights violations, undermining democracy, and corruption. In August 2017, President Trump imposed economic sanctions that restrict the ability of the Venezuelan government and the PdVSA to access U.S. financial markets. Additional sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector are being considered but could hurt the Venezuelan people and U.S. economic interests.Congressional ActionThe 115th Congress has taken actions in response to the situation in Venezuela. In February 2017, the Senate approved S.Res. 35, which expresses support for targeted sanctions, dialogue, and OAS efforts. In December 2017, the House passed H.R. 2658, which would authorize humanitarian assistance for Venezuela, and H.Res. 259, which would urge the Venezuelan government to hold open elections and accept humanitarian aid. Some Members of Congress have called for temporary protected status for Venezuelans in the United States. S.Res. 363 (December 2017) expresses concern about the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. S.Res. 414 (February 2018) condemns the undemocratic practices of the Venezuelan government and calls for a free and fair electoral process.Congress has appropriated funding to support democracy and human rights efforts in Venezuela ($7 million in FY2017). The Trump Administration did not request FY2018 assistance. The Administration requested $9 million in FY2019 assistance for Venezuela.
Author: Carlos A. Romero
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 113670244X
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 188
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Book Description
Oil makes up one-third of Venezuela's entire GDP, and the United States is far and away Venezuela's largest trading partner. Relations between Venezuela and the United States, traditionally close for most of the last two centuries, began to fray in the last decade as the end of the Cold War altered the international environment. The United States and Venezuela attempts to place the events of the past ten years in historical perspective and to explain the reasons why the changes occurred. It also examines the impact of new actors on the international scene: drug traffickers, common citizens, human rights and environmental activists and the media.
Author: Javier Corrales
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0415895243
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 242
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Book Description
Oil makes up one-third of Venezuela's entire GDP, and the United States is far and away Venezuela's largest trading partner. Relations between Venezuela and the United States, traditionally close for most of the last two centuries, began to fray as the end of the Cold War altered the international environment. U.S.-Venezuela Relations since the 1990s explores relations between these two countries since 1999, when Hugo Chavez came to office and proceeded to change Venezuela's historical relation with the United States and other democracies. The authors analyze the reasons for rising bilateral conflict, the decision-making process in Venezuela, the role played by public and private actors in shaping foreign policy, the role of other powers such as China, Russia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia in shaping U.S.-Venezuelan relations, the role of Venezuela in Cuba and Colombia, and the impact of broader international dynamics in the bi-lateral relations.
Author: Congressional Research Service
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781547053827
Category : Automatic control
Languages : en
Pages : 36
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Book Description
Venezuela is in the midst of an acute political, economic, and social crisis. Following the March 2013 death of populist President Hugo Ch�vez, acting President Nicol�s Maduro of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) narrowly defeated Henrique Capriles of the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) to be elected to a six-year term in April 2013. Four years later, President Maduro has less than 20% public approval and fissures have emerged within the PSUV about the means that he has used to maintain power, including a recent aborted attempt to have the Supreme Court dissolve the MUD-dominated legislature. Protests are escalating amid calls for the Maduro government to hold the regional elections that Maduro postponed last year rather than convene a constituent assembly to rewrite the constitution, as he has proposed.Venezuela also is grappling with crippling economic and social challenges. It faces an increasingly unstable economic crisis, triggered by mismanagement and the global drop in oil prices. In 2016, the economy contracted by some 18% and inflation averaged 254%. In addition, massive shortages of food and medicine have caused a humanitarian crisis. The Maduro government is struggling to make debt payments and seeking loans from Russia, but economists maintain that Venezuela is at risk of default in 2017.International efforts to facilitate dialogue between President Maduro and the opposition have failed, due to the government's intransigence. In March 2017, Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) Luis Almagro called on member states to temporarily suspend Venezuela from the organization if the government did not take certain actions, including convening general elections. On April 26, 2017, the OAS Permanent Council approved a resolution to convene a meeting of foreign ministers to discuss Venezuela. In response, the Maduro government initiated the two-year process required to leave the OAS.U.S. PolicyU.S. policymakers have had concerns for more than a decade about human rights and democracy in Venezuela and the government's lack of cooperation on antidrug and counterterrorism efforts. The Obama Administration strongly criticized the Maduro government's heavy-handed response to protests in 2014 and employed sanctions against Venezuelan officials linked to drug trafficking, terrorism, and human rights abuses. At the same time, it supported efforts at dialogue and OAS activities.The Trump Administration has followed the same general policy approach. In February 2017, the Treasury Department imposed drug-trafficking sanctions against Vice President Tareck el Aissami. President Trump and the State Department have called for the release of imprisoned opposition leader Leopoldo L�pez and all political prisoners. State Department officials have condemned the Venezuelan Supreme Court's recent rulings, expressed grave concern about a recent ban preventing Capriles from running for office, and called for prompt elections.Congressional ActionCongress has taken various actions in response to the situation in Venezuela. In July 2016, Congress enacted legislation (P.L. 114-194) extending the ability to impose sanctions through 2019.In the 115th Congress, the Senate approved S.Res. 35, expressing support for OAS efforts to hasten a return to electoral democracy in the country. The FY2017 Consolidated Appropriations Act enacted on May 4, 2017, recommends providing $7 million in democracy and human rights assistance to Venezuela. Congress soon will have the opportunity to reexamine such aid to Venezuela as it considers the FY2018 request. This report provides an overview of the political and economic challenges Venezuela is facing and efforts to respond to those challenges taken through the OAS. The report also analyzes U.S. policy concerns regarding democracy and human rights, drug trafficking, terrorism, and energy issues in Venezuela.
