The political landscape in Venezuela has dramatically shifted following a decade of escalating threats and actions from the United States, culminating in the recent extraction of President Nicolás Maduro by American forces. This development marks a significant turning point in U.S.-Venezuela relations, which have been fraught with tension since 2017 under the administration of former President Donald Trump.
From Sanctions to Military Threats
In July 2017, Maduro, who succeeded the late Hugo Chávez in 2013, initiated a controversial referendum to create a Constituent Assembly. This move was widely criticized as an attempt to undermine the opposition-led legislature. In response, Trump stated that “a military option is certainly something that we could pursue,” indicating a willingness to intervene militarily in the country.
The U.S. government began tightening sanctions on Venezuela, effectively blocking access to U.S. financial markets for Maduro’s administration and the state oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela.
As tensions escalated, Maduro was re-elected in May 2018 in a vote deemed an “insult to democracy” by the U.S. Washington responded with additional sanctions throughout the year, aiming to cripple the Venezuelan economy.
In January 2019, following Maduro’s swearing-in for a second term, the U.S. recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the interim president, a move widely supported by several Latin American nations. The U.S. imposed further sanctions targeting Venezuela’s oil sector, intensifying its economic stranglehold.
Heightened Military Presence and Ongoing Sanctions
By April 2019, Guaidó called for military support to help topple Maduro, yet the movement quickly lost momentum. Throughout 2019, the U.S. continued to freeze assets of the Maduro government and implement new sanctions.
In March 2020, the U.S. charged Maduro and his allies with narco-terrorism, further justifying the tightening of existing sanctions. In May 2020, Trump denied involvement in an alleged coup attempt by mercenaries, asserting that any military intervention would not be covert.
The transition to President Joe Biden in 2021 saw a continuation of Trump-era policies, although Biden granted a license to Chevron in November 2022 to operate in Venezuela. Despite attempts to ease sanctions, especially during the approach to the 2024 elections, the U.S. reinstated restrictions after Maduro’s government banned key opposition figures from running.
In July 2024, Maduro was declared the election winner amid significant controversy. Opposition claims, backed by independent voting counts, asserted that Guaidó’s replacement, Edmundo González, had actually won.
With increasing pressure, the Biden administration imposed fresh sanctions on Venezuelan officials in January 2025, soon after which Trump returned to office. He signed an executive order to designate Venezuelan drug cartels as “foreign terrorist organizations,” further complicating the already tense situation.
The U.S. military presence near Venezuelan waters intensified in August 2025, with the White House deploying warships in what it characterized as efforts to combat drug trafficking. This included doubling the bounty on Maduro’s capture to $50 million.
By October 2025, Trump suggested that land strikes against Venezuela were being considered, while U.S. naval operations aimed at intercepting drug shipments continued. The situation reached a critical point in January 2026, when U.S. forces launched a military operation that led to Maduro’s capture.
This recent extraction of Maduro marks a significant chapter in the long-standing conflict between the U.S. and Venezuela. With the political future of the nation uncertain, international observers are closely watching how this bold intervention will impact regional stability and U.S. foreign policy moving forward.
