NEWS: Amid Ongoing Human Rights Crises in Venezuela, Sen. Schiff Leads Effort to Force State Department to Report on Abuses

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is demanding the U.S. Department of State (State) share an assessment detailing Venezuela's human rights violations under Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who replaced Nicolás Maduro after his removal six months ago, and commit to preventing an increase in human rights abuses committed in Venezuela.

"The Trump administration's increased support of the same officials who contributed to the Venezuelan government's lengthy and well-documented record of human rights abuses and violations is alarming, and we urge the State Department to re-commit to its long-standing practice of calling attention to human rights violations committed by the Venezuelan regime and exerting pressure on regime officials to end these abuses," the Senators wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The Senators are seeking a record of the United States' actions to address human rights abuses in the country to ensure no United States foreign assistance funding, including security or economic assistance, contributes to the human rights violations committed by the Venezuelan regime.

Senator Schiff is also prepared to introduce a measure in the future that would require State to submit a report on Venezuela's human rights situation to Congress within 30 days of its passage, or else certain foreign assistance to the Venezuelan government would be automatically suspended.

"Unfortunately, the United States has stood by Rodríguez after her regime ignored its constitutional requirement to hold a presidential election within thirty days of the expiration of her 90-day temporary role as acting president in early April. Administration officials have also reportedly assisted the regime's efforts to obstruct opposition leader María Corina Machado's return to Venezuela, despite previously recognizing her party's 2024 electoral victory. The United States' continued support for Rodríguez despite her extra-constitutional hold on power is an implicit endorsement of her regime's violation of Venezuelans' political rights," the Senators continued.

"Congress will continue to conduct rigorous oversight of the Administration's efforts to support the Rodriguez regime. Should the State Department refuse to address the Venezuelan government's human rights violations by the time the immediate earthquake recovery efforts conclude, we will consider using all available tools to require such a report, including Section 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act," the Senators concluded.

In addition to Schiff, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.).

The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

Dear Secretary Rubio,

We write with concerns regarding the severe human rights abuses in Venezuela. These abuses, which existed during the rule of former President Nicolas Maduro, have not lessened despite significant involvement and control of Venezuelan affairs by the U.S. Government or the replacement of Maduro by Acting President Delcy Rodriguez. The Trump administration's increased support of the same officials who contributed to the Venezuelan government's lengthy and well-documented record of human rights abuses and violations is alarming, and we urge the State Department to re-commit to its long-standing practice of calling attention to human rights violations committed by the Venezuelan regime and exerting pressure on regime officials to end these abuses.

The State Department has monitored and documented the Venezuelan government's long history of committing human rights abuses and violations since its 1999 Country Report on Human Rights Practices during Hugo Chavez's presidency. In its 2024 Country Report, the most recent official report available, the State Department continued to find abuses, including credible reports of arbitrary or unlawful killings; disappearances; torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment; arbitrary arrest or detention; and restrictions on freedom of expression and the press. Likewise, Amnesty International and other international human rights organizations have detailed government attacks on fundamental human rights, finding that, for example, "[h]undreds of people suffered arbitrary detention or enforced disappearance, as well as torture and other human rights violations, for opposing or criticizing the government" last year.

Many of the abuses perpetrated by Maduro and his agents, including repression of political opponents and targeting of civil society activists and independent journalists, have persisted despite Maduro's capture in Operation Absolute Resolve, Rodríguez's recognition as the "sole Head of State" by the Trump Administration, and the United States' outsized role in the country's day-to-day operations. For example, the Venezuelan government continues to use its security apparatus, including the General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM) and the infamous Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN), to carry out arbitrary arrests and disappearances while concealing detainees' whereabouts from their families and legal representatives. Despite Rodriguez's promotion of a so-called "amnesty law" at the beginning of the year, human rights organizations report that over three hundred political prisoners still remain detained without access to relief or a fair trial, including several political opposition leaders, journalists, and human rights defenders facing politically motivated prosecutions. Restrictions on the freedoms of peaceful assembly, association, and expression remain significant as well, and independent journalists and media outlets continue to face censorship, restriction, intimidation, and blocking by the Rodríguez government; at least 405 media outlets have closed in the past 20 years, and more than 60 news sites continued to be blocked as of February this year

Importantly, several of the Venezuelan regime's current officials were implicated in human rights violations and abuses committed under the Maduro regime. Rodríguez, then Maduro's Executive Vice President, was sanctioned in 2018 under an Executive Order designed to address Venezuela's "erosion of human rights guarantees, persecution of political opponents, curtailment of press freedoms, use of violence and human rights violations and abuses." Now recognized as Venezuela's head of state, the Trump administration has removed Rodriguez's sanctions without explanation. The White House also pressed this month for her removal as a defendant in a lawsuit against several Venezuelan officials for the detention and alleged torture of three Americans released in a 2023 prisoner swap. Additionally, in 2015 the U.S. government sanctioned Gustavo Enrique González López, the former the head of SEBIN, for his role in "significant acts of violence or conduct that constitutes a serious abuse or violation of human rights." Today, González López is Venezuela's Defense Minister.

Furthermore, Venezuelans repeatedly saw their political rights eroded under Maduro, including after he claimed victory in the illegitimate 2018 presidential election. The Trump administration called the election "neither free nor fair," and as a United States Senator, you emphasized the importance of Venezuelans' political rights when asserting that Maduro "was not elected under [Venezuela's] constitution." Similarly, the Maduro regime brazenly ignored the well-documented opposition victory in the July 2024 Venezuelan election. Unfortunately, the United States has stood by Rodríguez after her regime ignored its constitutional requirement to hold a presidential election within thirty days of the expiration of her 90-day temporary role as acting president in early April. Administration officials have also reportedly assisted the regime's efforts to obstruct opposition leader María Corina Machado's return to Venezuela, despite previously recognizing her party's 2024 electoral victory. The United States' continued support for Rodríguez despite her extra-constitutional hold on power is an implicit endorsement of her regime's violation of Venezuelans' political rights

The next expected human rights report on Venezuela, which was due to Congress on February 25, 2026, will be limited to violations and abuses committed in 2025. In order to provide Congress with a clearer picture of U.S. efforts to disassociate from these abuses and hold perpetrators accountable since the recognition of Rodriguez as the head of state in January 2026, please provide detailed responses to the following questions no later than August 21, 2026:

1. What is the State Department's assessment of alleged violations and abuses of internationally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms by the Venezuelan government since Acting President Rodríguez was sworn in?
2. What is the State Department's assessment of changes, if any, to the human rights situation in Venezuela since January 3, 2026?
3. Since January 3, 2026, has the State Department reviewed credible information of Venezuelan security forces or officials committing gross violations of human rights for the potential application of Leahy Law or Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act sanctions?
4. What is the State Department's assessment of the likelihood that United States security or economic assistance provided to Venezuela has been used in support of activities related to facilitating civil repression and arbitrary detentions since January 3, 2026?
5. What actions did the United States government take between January 1, 2025, and January 2, 2026, and has it taken since January 3, 2026, to:
   • promote respect for and observance of human rights by the Venezuelan government?
   • penalize individuals who are or were previously suspected of violating or abusing human rights in Venezuela?
   • disassociate the United States, as well as any assistance provided to Venezuela, from human rights abuses and violations?

It is critical that the State Department ensure no United States foreign assistance funding, including security or economic assistance, contributes to the human rights violations routinely committed by the Venezuelan regime and its long-entrenched officials. It is also crucial the Department continues to report on and work to prevent human rights violations and abuses committed in Venezuela, even as the U.S. government strengthens its ties to the Rodriquez government.

Congress will continue to conduct rigorous oversight of the Administration's efforts to support the Rodriguez regime. Should the State Department refuse to address the Venezuelan government's human rights violations by the time the immediate earthquake recovery efforts conclude, we will consider using all available tools to require such a report, including Section 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act.

We look forward to your timely response to these urgent concerns.

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