Sen Rubio (R-FL), Van Hollen (D-MD) ask White House to investigate ZTE's work in Venezuela

Sens Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) are asking the White House to look into whether the Chinese telecommunications firm ZTE violated US sanctions by helping Venezuela track and monitor its citizens. The senators write that they are concerned that, by building a database to help Venezuela track its citizens, ZTE "may have violated US export controls and sanctions laws" as well as an agreement between the Commerce Department and ZTE reached earlier in 2018. The letter is addressed to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. The senators request that the White House find out whether ZTE worked with any Venezuelan officials have been sanctioned by the US and whether ZTE helped Venezuela undermine democratic processes or violate human rights.