HR7674-119

What This Bill Does

The Venezuela Democratic Transition Strategy Act requires the Secretary of State to submit a comprehensive strategy to support a democratic transition in Venezuela within 180 days. The strategy must describe U.S. diplomatic efforts, prioritize the release of individuals arbitrarily detained in Venezuela, and explain diplomatic engagement, international coordination, monitoring, and documentation of political detention cases.

The strategy must address efforts to curb authoritarian influence from Cuba, Russia, Iran, and China within Venezuela's military, security services, and government. It must also plan the use of U.S. foreign assistance for the Venezuelan people, including humanitarian assistance, democracy and governance programming, and access to basic services. The strategy must support Venezuelan civil society, independent media, human rights defenders, independent journalists, and other nongovernmental actors working on democracy, rule of law, accountability for atrocities, and gross human rights violations. The Secretary must report progress one year after the strategy and annually for two more years, and consult with congressional foreign affairs committees every six months.

Who Benefits and How

Arbitrarily detained Venezuelans benefit because the strategy must prioritize their release through diplomacy, partner coordination, monitoring, and documentation. Venezuelan civil society organizations benefit from explicit U.S. support for democracy, rule of law, accountability, and human rights work. Independent Venezuelan media and journalists benefit from being named as protected civil-society actors. The Venezuelan people benefit from planned humanitarian assistance, democracy programming, and basic-services support. Congressional foreign affairs committees benefit from progress reports and semiannual consultations. International partners supporting democracy in Venezuela benefit from a U.S. strategy for coordination.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The Secretary of State must prepare the strategy, progress reports, and semiannual consultations. Department of State Venezuela policy staff must coordinate diplomatic, humanitarian, democracy, and civil-society work. Cuban influence networks, Russian influence networks, Iranian influence networks, and PRC influence networks in Venezuela face increased U.S. scrutiny. The Government of Venezuela faces U.S. diplomatic pressure over political detention, authoritarian influence, civil society, and human rights accountability. Foreign assistance implementers must align programs with the strategy. Congressional staff must review reports and consultations for three years.

Key Provisions

• Requires a 180-day State Department strategy to support democratic transition in Venezuela.
• Directs a plan to prioritize release of arbitrarily detained individuals.
• Requires efforts to curb Cuban, Russian, Iranian, and Chinese authoritarian influence in Venezuela.
• Directs planning for humanitarian assistance, democracy programming, governance support, and basic services.
• Requires support for civil society, independent media, journalists, human rights defenders, and accountability actors.
• Requires annual progress reports for two years after the first strategy report.
• Requires semiannual consultation with House and Senate foreign affairs committees.