The relationship between the United States and Venezuela has always been regime-dependent or reliant on the prevailing domestic priorities and foreign policy of each nation. The two had strong ties for much of the 20th century due to economic interdependence. This shifted from cooperation to confrontation because of ideological conflict, disputed political legitimacy, and competing strategic interests linked to oil.
Explaining the Origin and Causes of the Conflict Between the United States and Venezuela
Contextual Origin of the Conflict: Socialism and Anti-American Stance of Venezuela Under Hugo Chávez
The oil and gas reserves of Venezuela gave the United States a strong interest in both its political stability and domestic economic affairs starting in the 20th century. U.S. oil companies invested in Venezuelan oil production, and the U.S. government embraced a more interventionist foreign policy approach in Latin America to exert its geopolitical influence.
However, when Hugo Chávez became the president of Venezuela in 1999, he introduced a socialist program that restructured national oil policy, increased royalties, and challenged established U.S. commercial advantages. Alliances with anti-American governments like Cuba and Iran created an ideological split. Chávez also openly criticized U.S. foreign policy.
The anti-American stance of Chávez stemmed from a combination of ideological conviction and perceived historical aggression by the U.S. in Latin America. He sought to resurrect the vision of Simón Bolívar of a unified and independent Latin America, establish control over the vast oil reserves of his country, and dismiss unfair free trade agreements.
Venezuela also repeatedly accused the United States of involvement in attempts to destabilize its government. The most significant allegation involves the 2002 coup attempt against Hugo Chavez. This generated deep and enduring suspicion. The ideological posture of Venezuela continued under Nicolás Maduro and remains a central cause of bilateral hostility.
The U.S. government maintained an interventionist approach. For example, under the Barack Obama administration, the U.S. Congress passed into law the Venezuela Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society Act of 2014 to impose sanctions on individuals in Venezuela who were responsible for human rights violations of antigovernment protesters in 2014.
A complete breakdown in diplomatic relations occurred in 2019 after the U.S. formally recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as the interim president and declared the presidency of Maduro as illegitimate due to fraudulent elections. Venezuela responded by breaking off diplomatic relations. The issue significantly escalated the United States-Venezuela conflict.
Contemporary Causes: Escalation of Geopolitical Tensions Into Possible American Military Operations
The U.S. has imposed additional economic and financial sanctions targeting the Maduro regime to pressure the regime to cede power and hold free and fair elections. It has also cited repression and corruption as a rationale for sanctions and other forms of diplomatic pressure. Venezuela has argued that these concerns are unfounded and politically motivated.
Moreover, under the Obama administration, the U.S. government banned certain Venezuelans and restricted the issuance of visas. Note that it has labeled Venezuela as a threat to its national security since 2015 because the prevailing internal sociopolitical problems of the country are threatening stability in the Americas and the U.S. political and economic interests.
The tension escalated further when the U.S. Department of Justice indicted Maduro and 14 current or former Venezuelan officials of narco-terrorism and related criminal charges on 26 March 2020. The U.S. government alleges that Maduro ran a narco-terrorism partnership with FARC, or the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, for around two decades.
Note that the U.S. DOJ further alleges that narco-terrorists were planning to flood the U.S. with cocaine to undermine the health and well-being of the country and its citizens. Maduro was alleged to deliberately use psychoactive substances as a weapon against the U.S. government. This frames the modern US-Venezuela conflict as based on narco-terrorism.
The second Trump administration also designated the informal Venezuelan criminal organization known as Cartel de los Soles as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist organization in July 2025. Maduro is considered one of its leaders. However, according to Venezuelan experts and external observers, the allegations of central coordination were lacking evidence.
U.S. President Trump also designated the Tren de Aragua and other Venezuelan groups as foreign terrorists in a January 2025 executive order. The second Trump administration has committed to stopping alleged narco-terrorism activities in Venezuela. This includes the deployment of multiple naval vessels off the coast of Venezuela beginning in August 2025.
Takeaways and Pointers From the Conflict Between the United States and Venezuela
The conflict between the United States and Venezuela stems from the complex interplay between political, economic, and security-related issues that have intensified over the last two decades. But it cannot be denied that there are two conflicting sides or perspectives as regards the exact origin and further causes of the tensions between the countries.
One could argue that the conflict originated from the Chávez regime and its specific adoption of socialism and anti-American stance. Others could contend that this anti-American pivot would not occur if the U.S. government did not meddle in Venezuelan affairs and if U.S. companies did not take advantage of the domestic Venezuelan oil and gas industry.
Nevertheless, regardless of the contextual origin, the geopolitical tensions between the two have worsened due to the imposition of sanctions by the U.S. government as part of its attempt to influence the internal sociopolitical affairs of Venezuela. It is clear that the U.S. is considering the situation in Venezuela as something that could affect its national interest.
The narco-terrorism framing is a more recent development in the US-Venezuela history. Note that this remains one of the top foreign policy issues of the second Trump administration. Trump is also committed to interfering with the internal affairs of Venezuela on the basis of dismantling narcotic operations in the country and the North and South American regions.
FURTHER READINGS AND REFERENCES
- Acevedo, R. A. and Cirocco, L. B. “How Socialism Ruined Venezuela.” The Austrian. 3(5). Available via PDF
- Johnson, P. 22 August 2025. “The Trump Administration Wants to Use the Military Against Drug Traffickers. History Suggests This May Backfire.” The Conversation. Available online
- Rory, C. 2014. Comandante: Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela. Penguin Books. ISBN: 978-0143124887.