Which president first declared a national emergency regarding Venezuela, issuing Executive Order 13692 in March 2015 to sanction officials involved in human rights abuses and undermining democratic institutions?

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Which president first declared a national emergency regarding Venezuela, issuing Executive Order 13692 in March 2015 to sanction officials involved in human rights abuses and undermining democratic institutions?

Accepted Answer

President Barack Obama issued Executive Order 13692 on March 8, 2015, declaring a national emergency regarding Venezuela under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The order cited the Venezuelan government erosion of human rights guarantees, persecution of political opponents, curtailment of press freedoms, use of violence and human rights violations in response to antigovernment protests, arbitrary arrest and detention of protestors, and significant public corruption as constituting an unusual and extraordinary threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy. This executive order established the legal foundation for all subsequent Venezuela sanctions. Trump later expanded these sanctions dramatically with Executive Order 13884 on August 5, 2019, which froze all Venezuelan government assets—placing Venezuela alongside Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria. As of June 2025, 151 Venezuelans and 3 entities have been sanctioned under E.O. 13692.

Which president first declared a national emergency regarding Venezuela, issuing Executive Order 13692 in March 2015 to sanction officials involved in human rights abuses and undermining democratic institutions?

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