During Trump’s first term, the US levelled “maximum pressure” sanctions on Venezuela while recognising opposition figure Juan Guaidó as the country’s legitimate president. That effort failed; Guaidó now lives in Florida.

A permit issued by the United States government allowing energy giant Chevron Corp. to pump and export Venezuelan oil will be terminated this week.

The suspension of foreign aid programs supporting democracy promotion in authoritarian countries has left many wondering if U.S. policy has abandoned that goal.

Guyana on Thursday asked the International Court of Justice to order Venezuela not to proceed with plans to hold elections in the disputed region of Esequibo, saying a vote would violate a prior court ruling,

President Trump on Tuesday reversed a Biden-era license that allowed the oil giant to operate in Venezuela despite US sanctions

The Trump administration’s decision to revoke the licenses allowing Chevron and other international companies to produce oil in Venezuela is likely to have a debilitating impact on the Caracas regime’s finances and limit the ability of strongman Nicolás Maduro to keep his ruling coalition together.

U.S. imports of crude oil from Venezuela averaged 222,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the first 11 months of 2024, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data, making it the fourth largest crude supplier to the United States.