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Catherina

(35,568 posts)
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 12:46 PM Apr 2013

U.S. Congressmen introduce bill calling for sanctions on ALBA countries

U.S. Congressmen call for sanction on ALBA countries
Posted on 4/27/13

A bipartisan group in the US House of Representatives introduced legislation yesterday to the government to impose a range of sanctions, including the denial of visas, against "officials in ALBA countries who are involved in serious human rights abuses" .

The extreme rightwing Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Florida, and Albio Sires, DN.J., both with ties to the Cuban-American terrorist mafia, want to apply sanctions on government officials from countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA ), or persons acting on their behalf, "if the U.S. determines that the Executive is involved in serious human rights abuses" in those countries, reported (the Spanish News Agency) EFE.

The list of sanctions includes denial of entry visas to the United States, the freezing of assets and a ban on financial transactions in the country, according to a statement from the office of Ros-Lehtinen, who chairs the committee that supports the terrorist Luis Posada Carriles in Miami.

The measure, which must be approved by both houses of Congress, asks the White House to submit a report to the legislature on individuals "involved in censorship or other activities that prohibit, limit or penalize freedom of expression and assembly" of citizens in the countries of the ALBA, or "that limit access to the press or broadcast media."

The bipartisan measure, contained in 23 pages, also calls for the United States, through its representative at the Organization of American States (OAS), to "defend, protect and strengthen the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights". The controversial body is virtually a dependency of the US State Department.

....

http://www.contrainjerencia.com/?p=66335


Directly Related:

The Online Magazine of the American Enterprise Institute

Latins Rally to Restore Human Rights Panel
By Roger F. Noriega
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Filed under: World Watch, Government & Politics

Latin American countries have finally rallied and rejected a bid by leftist regimes to silence the region’s human rights watchdog. Now regional democracies must restore the organization’s credibility after years of yielding to Chavistas.

In what might be remembered as the end of the line for Chavismo as a regional political force, last week key Latin American countries soundly rejected a bid by leftist regimes to silence the region’s human rights watchdog. Those democratic nations – along with the United States – must now retake some of the momentum that they ceded to Venezuelan caudillo Hugo Chávez’s destructive agenda.

...

The latest assault on the commission came as Ecuador, Venezuela, and like-minded states proposed “reforms” that would have severely restricted the IACHR’s budget and taken away tools that it has long used to hold governments accountable for rights violations. Many democratic governments sat on the sidelines rather than be bullied by Chávez’s rabid rabble, but human rights groups and free press advocates resisted valiantly. Members of the U.S. Congress from both parties weighed in forcefully to defend the commission, and the Washington Post helped ensure that the attack received prominent attention in the U.S. print media.

...

In June 2009, virtually every government in the region helped scrap the historic Inter-American Democratic Charter when they advocated the re-admission of the Castro dictatorship in Cuba to the ranks of the OAS. They also went along as the OAS ignored systematic human rights abuses in leftist states while sanctioning governments that did not tow the Chavista line. Chávez bought, bullied, and berated his way to exaggerated influence in the Americas. Much damage could have been avoided if governments that opposed the Chavista agenda had simply defended their principles.

It is possible that Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Venezuela will regroup to launch another attack on the human rights system. However, with Chávez dead and his heirs preoccupied with their own survival at home, it is likely that this destructive diplomacy will run out of steam.

...

Roger F. Noriega is a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute; he was assistant secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs and ambassador to the Organization of American States in the administration of former President George W. Bush from 2001-2005.


http://www.american.com/archive/2013/march/latins-rally-to-restore-human-rights-panel

7 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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U.S. Congressmen introduce bill calling for sanctions on ALBA countries (Original Post) Catherina Apr 2013 OP
Press Release for H.R. 1687 Catherina Apr 2013 #1
'trying 2 bait US 2 get involved, 2 try 2 establish order in a country... spiraling out of control' Catherina Apr 2013 #2
Here is where you can track the bill. The bill itself is not yet provided on govtrack Catherina Apr 2013 #3
Here is the proposed bill in full, on Scribd Catherina Apr 2013 #4
That's rich. ocpagu Apr 2013 #5
It's quite astounding, "rich" as you put it Catherina Apr 2013 #6
Mr Noreiga's wistful, petulant tone is very amusing. bemildred Apr 2013 #7

Catherina

(35,568 posts)
1. Press Release for H.R. 1687
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 01:00 PM
Apr 2013

(Emphasis and underlines, theirs)

Press Release

Ros-Lehtinen and Sires Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Stand With The People of ALBA Nations and Hold Violators of Human Rights Accountable
Apr 25, 2013

Washington, DC – Today Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman of the Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee and Congressman Albio Sires (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, introduced bipartisan legislation, HR 1687 - Countering ALBA Act of 2013. The Countering ALBA Act is a bill that:

- Directs the United States Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS) to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States at the OAS to defend, protect, and strengthen the independent Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to advance the protection of human rights throughout the Western Hemisphere.

- Urges the President to sanction persons who are officials of ALBA Governments or persons acting on behalf of ALBA Governments, who the President determines are responsible for or complicit in the commission of serious human rights abuses against citizens of ALBA countries. Such sanctions may include: ineligibility for a visa to enter the United States, blocking of property, and prohibition on financial transactions pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

- Calls on the President to transmit to Congress a report on persons that are engaged in censorship or other activities with respect to ALBA countries that prohibit, limit, or penalize the exercise of freedom of expression or assembly by citizens of ALBA countries; or limit access to print or broadcast media.

- Directs the Secretary of State to transmit a comprehensive strategy to ensure that ALBA governments are democratic governments that are committed to making constitutional changes that would ensure regular free and fair elections and the full enjoyment of basic civil liberties and human rights by the citizens of ALBA countries; and have made demonstrable progress in establishing independent judiciaries and electoral councils.

Ros-Lehtinen said on the introduction of the bill,
“I thank my colleague Congressman Albio Sires for joining me on introducing the Countering ALBA Act. Last month, ALBA leaders failed in their attempt to weaken the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights at the Organization of American States and the latest human rights report from the Department of State illustrates that the regimes in Venezuela, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and Bolivia continue to oppress their people and violate human rights. This important bipartisan bill will hold the oppressors accountable by sanctioning those persons who are responsible for or complicit in serious human rights violations and directs the President to defend and protect the independent Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The elections in Venezuela and Nicaragua reminds us that democratic principles continue to be under threat in the Hemisphere. The bill also calls for the Secretary of State to create a comprehensive strategy to ensure that free and fair elections are held and reforms are made to establish real independent judiciaries and electoral councils.


Sires said on the introduction of the bill,
“ I join my colleague, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, in advocating accountability against persons responsible for human rights violations and calling for strengthening the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. This Act will help advance the principle that democracy, rule of law, and freedoms of expression should be freely exercised by all peoples in the hemisphere.”


http://ros-lehtinen.house.gov/press-release/ros-lehtinen-and-sires-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-stand-people-alba-nations-and

Catherina

(35,568 posts)
2. 'trying 2 bait US 2 get involved, 2 try 2 establish order in a country... spiraling out of control'
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 01:03 PM
Apr 2013
“I wouldn’t be surprised with summary arrests. I wouldn’t be surprised if they declared a state of siege to get people off the street. You’re also trying to bait the United States to get involved and to try to establish order in a country that’s very close to spiraling out of control.”

Conressman Adam Schiff, (D-West Hollywood)

http://wehonews.com/z/wehonews/archive/page.php?articleID=7881

Catherina

(35,568 posts)
3. Here is where you can track the bill. The bill itself is not yet provided on govtrack
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 01:12 PM
Apr 2013
H.R. 1687: To provide for the imposition of sanctions with respect to foreign persons responsible for or complicit in ordering, controlling, or ...

... otherwise directing, the commission of serious human rights abuses against citizens of ALBA countries, and for other purposes.

Introduced:
Apr 23, 2013 (113th Congress, 2013–2015)
Sponsor:
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen [R-FL27]
Status:
Referred to Committee

Introduced ------------------Apr 23, 2013
Referred to Committee -------Apr 23, 2013
Reported by Committee ...
Passed House ...
Passed Senate ...
Signed by the President

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr1687
 

ocpagu

(1,954 posts)
5. That's rich.
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 01:30 PM
Apr 2013

The far right in the US has committed some of the most terrible abuses against human rights ever. Most of them left unpunished. The war criminals of the Bush junta are all free as birds. Guantanamo is still operating. CIA, extraordinary renditions, torture, waterboarding, Abu Ghraib, drones attacks, war on "terrorism"...

Yet, for this bipartisan group of congressmen, the worst crime against humans apparently is voting for the left...

Thanks for this thread, Catherina.

bemildred

(90,061 posts)
7. Mr Noreiga's wistful, petulant tone is very amusing.
Tue Apr 30, 2013, 01:33 PM
Apr 2013

Like when Tom Friedman pops up now and then hoping to see if any of his credibility has been restored yet.

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