House Democrats want NSA who's tougher on Venezuela

The Trump administration has levied crippling economic sanctions, including crude oil restrictions, against the Maduro regime, including specific sanctions against the dictator himself and his family.

But with all these Trump-imposed sanctions that former President Barack Obama refused to employ during his tenure as president and the fact that the administration has garnered the support of the European Union (EU), House Democrats still don’t believe President Trump has done enough to help the Venezuelan people.

The one issue that appears to only matter to Democrats is granting Temporary Protection Status (TPS) to Venezuelan affected by human rights atrocities committed by Maduro.

Florida Reps. Daren Soto, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Donna Shalala, and Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, along with their Republican colleagues, Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, and Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, have all been urging, almost demanding the Trump administration grant TPS for Venezuelans.

President Trump has said he would look into the matter but has yet to act on granting the protection status.

This hesitation or refusal to grant TPS has emboldened Democrats to continue “urging” Trump to pass the measure.

Now Reps. Wasserman Schultz, Mucarsel-Powell, and Shalala have stepped up their demands, asking the president to appoint a National Security Advisor who “understands the importance of what is happening in Venezuela and prioritize placing pressure on the Maduro regime.”

Ambassador John Bolton, who was the most recent NSA and was just fired, has a key figure in establishing the current Trump sanctions policy with Venezuela.

“[I]t is imperative that the next National Security Advisor understands the importance of what is happening in Venezuela and prioritize placing pressure on the Maduro regime,” wrote the Representatives. “The House of Representatives has stood up for Venezuelans by passing several bills that address the present humanitarian crisis and future of Venezuela.

This includes the Humanitarian Assistance to the Venezuelan People Act of 2019, the Russian-Venezuelan Threat Mitigation Act, the Venezuela Arms Restriction Act and the Venezuela TPS Act of 2019. We have urged the Senate to pass this legislation, and we continue to ask you to exercise your authority to grant Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelans

We firmly believe that TPS for Venezuelans in the United States must be granted without delay. We strongly urge you to appoint a National Security Advisor who will help ensure that Venezuela’s safe, peaceful return to democracy is a priority for the United States and the world while also protecting those Venezuelans living here in the United States.”

Maduro has announced that he was ready to repel any U.S. military action after Secretary of  State Mike Pompeo announced that the U.S. and 11 other partner nations have invoked the “Rio Treaty to confront the political, economic, & humanitarian crisis unleashed by Maduro on #Venezuela & the region.”