Yesterday, President Donald Trump announced that he would expand existing sanctions with Venezuela into a full economic embargo, marking an escalation from the expansive measures the US has taken against the Venezuelan government since the start of the country’s political crisis earlier this year. By announcing this embargo, the US government is asserting that Venezuela is not a stable environment and only further highlights the need to offer Temporary Protective Status (TPS) to Venezuelans.
Unfortunately, Senate Republicans continue to deny Venezuelans this critical designation which would protect them from the instability Republicans have continually criticized.
Below is a round-up of the coverage on Trump’s new economic embargo on Venezuela:
Bay News 9: US Steps Up Sanctions on Venezuela, Imposes Full Economic Embargo
By Samantha Jo-Roth
These new sanctions come as lawmakers continue to look for ways to extend temporary protected status to Venezuelans already in the U.S., even though the Senate failed to advance bipartisan legislation passed by the House.
“We need to look at these issues in a human and compassionate way,” said Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-Florida).
A major hurdle preventing this legislation from passing is some conservative Republicans and White House officials, who are wary of extending a program they are trying to end for other countries like Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador.
“The dehumanizing of immigrants that is happening in this administration and that my Republican colleagues are following is very dangerous,” Mucarsel-Powell explained.
Florida Phoenix: Florida politicians weigh in on U.S. economic embargo against the Venezuelan government
By Mitch Perry
South Florida Democratic U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz also applauded the news about the latest economic sanctions, but pivoted towards ripping into the president and the Republican Senate for continuing to refuse to give Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Venezuelans currently in America.
… Democrats have been pushing for TPS for Venezuelans for several years now, and Republicans such as Rubio and Miami U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart have joined the effort as well. But Senate Republicans and President Trump continue to resist that call.
Miami Herald: U.S. sanctions put Venezuela in ‘club of rogue states’ like Cuba, Syria, North Korea
By Jim Wyss
Florida Politics: Debbie Wasserman Schultz praises ‘crackdown,’ expanded sanctions on Venezuelan government
By Ryan Nicol
Law 360: Treasury Allows Aid To Venezuela To Go On Despite Embargo
