Venezuela

2/1/2026

Overview

On January 3, 2026, US military forces conducted a raid on Venezuela’s capital and seized President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, bringing them back to New York to face drug trafficking charges. Join Active Minds as we discuss the history of Venezuela, its complicated relationship with the United States and the political and legal implications of the raid that removed its controversial President.

Key Lecture Points

  • In 1811 Venezuela declared its independence from Spanish colonial control. Although it would only last one year, the Venezuelan Republic of 1811 set the stage for full independence of the South and Central American Spanish colonies. Simon Bolívar, aspiring to free and unify all of the former Spanish colonies, led the South American wars of independence, finally defeating the Spanish in 1821. After liberating the areas including Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia from Spanish rule, Bolívar ruled briefly as a dictator over the vast region.
  • By 1829, Bolívar’s efforts had failed, and the various elements of his Bolivarian Republic split off into separate states. Venezuela became one of these independent countries when elites in Caracas deposed and exiled Bolívar. Since then, Venezuela has had a long history of strongmen dictators.
  • US involvement in the hemisphere has greatly influenced Venezuelan history. In 1895, the US intervened directly, negotiating a territorial dispute between Britain and Venezuela. At the time, the US Secretary of State, Richard Olney stated “Today the US is practically sovereign on this continent.”
  • In 1999, Hugo Chávez was elected president and led the country until his death in 2013. Chávez’s vision of “21st century socialism” included alleviating the social ills of his people while attacking capitalism and globalization. He nationalized Venezuela’s key economic sectors and industries, including oil, and labeled the United States a dangerous force with imperialistic designs on controlling Venezuela and Latin America.
  • Chávez used oil income to consolidate his power at home by providing subsidized goods and services and to buy influence abroad (e.g. subsidized oil to Cuba). He was criticized for anti-democratic efforts, including the nationalization of media and his use of rule by decree. In 2013, Chávez’ hand-picked successor, Nicolas Maduro, was elected president and has continued the socialist programs of Chávez.
  • Since 2014, under the leadership of Maduro, Venezuela has faced a spiraling economic and political crisis caused by the collapse of oil prices with US sanctions exacerbating these problems. The result has been widespread shortages of food, medicine, sanitation, and electricity, leading a humanitarian crisis and the flight of nearly 25% of the population (8 million people) from Venezuela.
  • Efforts to topple Maduro from power via the ballot have been thwarted. After claiming a narrow victory in 2024 presidential elections, Maduro’s reelection was judged to be undemocratic by the Carter Center and UN observers. In 2025, his disqualified challenger, María Machado, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for supporting democracy in Venezuela.
  • In late 2025, US President Trump began firing on small boats he claimed were carrying drugs illegally into the US and began enforcing US sanctions on Venezuelan oil by seizing oil tankers in the Caribbean Sea. On January 3, 2026, President Trump ordered a raid on Caracas and captured Maduro and his wife and brought them to New York to face 2021 drug and weapons smuggling charges. President Trump has since claimed that the US will “run” Venezuela.

Discussion Questions

  • How has the US-Venezuelan relationship evolved since the Monroe Doctrine was expressed in 1823?
  • Have you ever lived under food rationing and serious food shortages? What was most difficult about the experience?
  • How does Maduro’s extraction from Venezuela and the US pledge to “run” Venezuela change the post-World War II international order?

More to Explore

Books for Further Reading

  • Corrales, Javier, Michael Penfold. Dragon in the Tropics: Venezuela and the Legacy of Hugo Chavez. Brookings Institute Press, 2015. 224 pages.  The authors describe how Chavez revamped Venezuela’s political and economic systems, the current economic crisis and the new realities of Venezuelan politics.
  • Tinker-Salas, Miguel.  Venezuela: What Everyone Needs to Know.  Oxford University Press, USA, 2015. 264 pages.  The author provides a concise history of Venezuela to include the role oil has played in the country’s history and the legacy of the Chavez years.
  • Newman, William. Things Are Never So Bad That They Can't Get Worse. St. Martin's Publishing Group, 2022. 352 pages. Drawing on his experience as The New York Times Andes Region Bureau Chief and years of reporting from Caracas, the author explores the interplay of charismatic populism, economic mismanagement, corruption, and the international forces that have shaped Venezuela’s fate.