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Summary:
Under the populist rule of President Hugo Chᶥz, first elected in 1998 and most recently reelected to a six-year term in December 2006, Venezuela has undergone enormous political changes, with a new constitution and unicameral legislature, and a new name for the country, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. U.S. officials and human rights organizations have expressed concerns about the deterioration of democratic institutions and threats to freedom of expression under President Chᶥz, who has survived several attempts to remove him from power. The government has benefitted from the rise in world oil prices, which has sparked an economic boom and allowed Chᶥz to increase expenditures on social programs associated with his populist agenda. After he was reelected, Chᶥz announced new measures to move the country toward socialism. His May 2007 closure of a popular Venezuelan television station (RCTV) that was critical of the government sparked protests. President Chᶥz was dealt a setback in December 2007 when his proposed constitutional amendment package, which included the removal of presidential term limits, was defeated by a close margin in a national referendum. The United States traditionally has had close relations with Venezuela, the fourth major supplier of foreign oil to the United States, but there has been friction with the Chᶥz government. U.S. officials have expressed concerns about human rights, Venezuela's military arms purchases, its relations with Cuba and Iran, and its efforts to export its brand of populism to other Latin American countries. Declining cooperation on anti-drug and anti-terrorism efforts has also been a U.S. concern. Since 2005, President Bush has annually designated Venezuela as a country that has failed demonstrably to adhere to its obligations under international narcotics agreements, and since 2006, the Department of State has prohibited the sale of defense articles and services to Venezuela because of lack of cooperation on antiterrorism efforts. Concerns regarding Venezuela in the 110th Congress have focused on human rights, energy, and terrorism issues. On May 24, 2007, the Senate approved S.Res. 211, expressing profound concerns regarding freedom of expression and Venezuela's decision not to renew the license of RCTV. The House version of H.R. 2764, the FY2008 State Department and Foreign Operations appropriations bill approved in June 2007, would have directed $10 million for targeted international broadcasting to Venezuela. The final enacted measure (P.L. 110-161, Division J) did not earmark such funding, but the explanatory statement to the bill expressed support for restoring shortwave and medium wave transmission to Venezuela. On November 5, 2007, the House approved H.Res. 435, expressing concern about Iran's efforts to expand its influence in Latin America, and noting Venezuela's increasing cooperation with Iran. Additional House initiatives that have been introduced include two human rights resolutions, H.Con.Res. 50 and H.Con.Res. 77; H.Res. 560, expressing concern about Venezuela's actions in the oil sector; H.Res. 965, calling upon the Chᶥz government to take action to deny Venezuelan territory and weapons from being used by terrorist organizations; and H.Res. 1049, calling for Venezuela to be designated a state sponsor of terrorism. Two Senate bills, S. 193 and S. 1007, would increase hemispheric cooperation on energy issues.
