President Barack Obama issued an executive order implementing financial sanctions against alleged human rights violators in Venezuela, and U.S. Latino senators have commended the administration's decision.

During a press call to the media, a senior Obama administration official detailed the executive order, which went into effect on Monday. The senior official said the executive order builds on the Venezuelan Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014, which Congress passed and signed into law on Dec. 18, 2014, and "expands upon the act by authorizing the imposition of sanctions against individuals involved in or responsible for the erosion of human rights guarantees, persecution of political opponents, curtailment of press freedoms, use of violence in human rights violations and abuses in response to anti-government protests, and arbitrary arrest and detention of anti-government protesters, as well as significant public corruption by senior officials in Venezuela."

Despite the sanctions, the senior administration official said the executive order is not targeted on the Venezuelan people and its economy. "We're committed to advancing respect for human rights, safeguarding democratic institutions, and protecting the U.S. financial system from the illicit financial flows from public corruption in Venezuela," the official continued.

Seven Venezuelan names were designated to have their property and interest in property in the U.S. blocked or frozen, and Americans are prohibited from conducting business with these individuals. Another senior administration official reiterated called Venezuela "the most corrupt country in Latin America."

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., who co-authored the Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act, said the executive order sends a message to Venezuelan officials who are responsible for the "systematic human rights abuses and rampant political oppression that have shocked the global conscience."

"In response to Venezuela's culture of impunity, these targeted actions are a long-overdue step toward accountability for the victims of President Maduro's campaign of state-sponsored violence," continued Menendez. "With today's action, Venezuelan officials responsible for the death of more than 40 peaceful protesters, more than 50 documented cases of torture, thousands of arbitrary detentions, and the unjust imprisonment of democratic leaders have rightly been denied access to the United States and our financial system."

Menendez called for further action by the Obama administration against Venezuelan government officials, namely Venezuelan Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino López.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., fellow author of the Venezuela Defense of Human Rights, acknowledged the human rights situation in Venezuela is a "crisis...getting worse every day." Rubio said the executive order provides overdue financial sanctions for Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro and his government.

Rubio also called for sanction expansions, specifically for Padrino Lopez. Rubio noted Padrino Lopez's responsibility for authorizing "lethal force" against demonstrators. While he commended on the Obama administration's sanctions, he questioned why Padrino Lopez was not included and the ongoing diplomatic relations with Cuba.

"Even as I welcome this round of sanctions, I question why President Obama is simultaneously moving to lift sanctions on Cuba, which has played a direct role in sowing unrest in Venezuela and has a human rights record even worse than the Maduro regime," said Rubio. "Human rights violations in Venezuela stem directly from what the Cuban army and intelligence agency have taught the Chavez-Maduro regime."

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