Maritime Affairs Program (MAP) Handbill Spotlight

In 2002, a coup temporarily deposed Hugo Chávez. Although he was restored to power two days later, he accused the United States government of being linked to the coup and attempting to overthrow him to pursue U.S. strategic and economic interests, an allegation Washington denied. This event marked a significant shift in bilateral relations between the two countries and pushed Venezuela to pursue stronger relations with other countries, such as Russia and China. 

Following the death of Chávez in 2013, Nicolás Maduro succeeded him and relations between the U.S. and Venezuela continued to deteriorate. In 2015, Barack Obama declared Venezuela a national security threat and imposed targeted sanctions on several Venezuelan officials. The Obama administration stated that these sanctions were aimed at Maduro government officials that the U.S. accused of violating human rights. Over the next few years, the White House continued to toughen economic sanctions and oil embargoes on Venezuela as a response to the ongoing human rights crisis and contested Maduro election. These sanctions on oil imports have contributed to the collapse of Venezuela’s economy and continuous instability within the region.

Recent Events

With the re-election of Donald Trump, the administration has focused on combating drugs and narcotics that enter the United States. In early 2025, Trump accused Maduro and his administration of working with Tren de Aragua and orchestrating drug trafficking and illegal immigration into the United States despite U.S. intelligence agencies saying otherwise. From mid to late 2025, the United States began to build-up its military presence in the Caribbean and conduct military campaigns and airstrikes such as Operation Southern Spear. Moreover, despite the recent capture of Maduro, the U.S. military continues to carry out airstrikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels within the region. These operations have disrupted Venezuelan oil exports, killed more than 100 people, and put pressure on the country’s already fragile economy. 

This escalation of tensions culminated on January 3 when the United States conducted large-scale military strikes on Caracas as part of an operation called “Absolute Resolve”, that culminated in Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, being captured and transported to New York on drug trafficking charges (which U.S. officials framed as narco-terroism. In the aftermath, Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as Venezuela’s interim president. Under pressure from the U.S., Rodriguez has advocated for opening of the crucial state-run oil industry to more foreign investment. The Trump administration declared that the United States would be in charge of Venezuela and U.S. firms would help develop the country’s oil reserves while reclaiming “stolen” U.S. oil money.

U.S. control over Venezuela’s oil reserves will affect the global markets and how major buyers and creditors engage with Venezuela. Within this framework, the U.S. has allowed China to continue buying Venezuelan oil, but on the condition that the prices must follow fair market value. This approach both limits China’s strategic leverage within Venezuela while avoiding a direct confrontation that would disrupt global energy markets.

Keep In Mind

It is crucial to consider the broader geopolitical and economic implications of this aggressive maritime activity within the Caribbean, particularly its impact on international legal norms and regional stability. The interceptions and strikes on these vessels and tankers, along with the recent abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, has provoked intense debate over international law and state sovereignty throughout the world. While United States officials have framed these operations as lawful sanctions and enforcement for regional security measures, many countries and international organizations have denounced them as violations of the UN Charter and national sovereignty. This debate is amplified by fears that powerful states may follow suit and invoke similar justifications to intervene elsewhere, for instance a potential confrontation over Taiwan by China.  

Complicating Venezuela’s position more is the large amount of debt obligations, particularly due to Chinese oil-for-loan arrangements. Under Maduro, Venezuela would ship crude oil to China in exchange for credit, creating billions of dollars in debt. However, with the planned U.S. control of Venezuela’s oil exports, this could upend the hierarchy of creditors and put the debt in limbo. This puts heightened tensions between the United States and China over creditor rights and global financial norms. The Trump administration’s push to open Venezuela’s oil industry to U.S. companies represents a major shift within the global energy landscape. 

This dynamic ties back to historical U.S. foreign policy frameworks such as the Monroe Doctrine. This doctrine has been used to justify military actions and interventions to protect U.S. interests and ensure regional security. Some analysts and world leaders interpret the operation in Venezuela as a reaffirmation of the U.S.’ longstanding sphere of influence within the Western Hemisphere, whereas Trump himself defended the operation as strengthening America and ensuring an “America First” strategy. 

The long-term effects of these actions could reshape the geopolitics of Venezuela and the Caribbean region. Even after Maduro’s capture, the U.S. military continues to carry out airstrikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels. This continued escalation will not only continue to undermine international laws and norms but risk potential further destabilization and prolonged conflict within the region.