US regime change in Venezuela since 1908

How long has the US been putting sanctions on Venezuela?

The United States has been imposing sanctions on Venezuela in some capacity for 21 years, beginning in 2005. 

While initial measures were limited to counter-narcotics and counter-terrorism, the scope expanded dramatically under successive administrations: 

• Initial Sanctions (2005–2006): In 2005, the U.S. first imposed sanctions due to Venezuela’s lack of cooperation in anti-drug efforts. This was followed in 2006 by a ban on all U.S. commercial arms sales.
• Targeted Measures (2014–2015): The Obama administration began sanctioning individuals for human rights abuses and corruption following political protests. In 2015, Executive Order 13692 declared Venezuela a national security threat to implement these targeted sanctions.
• Broad Economic Sanctions (2017–2019): Under the first Trump administration, sanctions shifted from individuals to the broader economy. This included prohibiting access to U.S. financial markets in 2017 and imposing a full oil embargo on the state-owned company PDVSA in 2019.
• Recent Escalations (2025–2026): After a period of temporary relief in 2023, broad sanctions were reinstated in 2024 and significantly intensified in 2025.
  • March 2025: A 25% tariff was imposed on any country importing Venezuelan oil.
  • December 2025: President Trump ordered a complete naval blockade of sanctioned oil tankers.
  • January 2026: In the first week of 2026, Nicolás Maduro and his wife were brought to the U.S. to face narcoterrorism charges. 

Did the U.S. try to coup Venezuela in 2002? I see a reference to Chavez getting kidnapped.

The 2002 coup attempt in Venezuela is a highly controversial event. While the United States denied direct involvement, declassified documents and reporting reveal significant U.S. knowledge and support for the actors who temporarily ousted Hugo Chávez. 

The “Kidnapping” of Hugo Chávez

On April 11, 2002, amid mass protests and violence, Hugo Chávez was detained by dissident military officers. 

• The Abduction: Chávez was taken to a naval base on Orchard Island (Isla la Orchila) and held incommunicado.
• False Resignation: Coup leaders claimed Chávez had resigned, which allowed them to install businessman Pedro Carmona as president.
• The Return: The coup collapsed after 47 hours due to massive pro-Chávez street protests and the intervention of loyal military units who rescued him. 

Evidence of U.S. Involvement and Support

While an internal State Department probe found no evidence of direct “wrongdoing,” several factors point to U.S. complicity:

• Prior Knowledge: Declassified CIA documents show the Bush administration knew of the coup plans weeks in advance—including the specific plan to arrest Chávez—but did not warn his government.
• Funding: The U.S. National Endowment for Democracy (NED) quadrupled its budget for Venezuela in the year leading up to the coup, funding many of the groups and individuals involved in the uprising.
• Diplomatic Recognition: Unlike most Latin American countries, the U.S. immediately recognized the Carmona government and blamed Chávez for his own downfall.
• Meetings with Plotters: Senior U.S. officials had met with Venezuelan military and opposition figures who were planning the coup in the months prior. 

Critics and the Venezuelan government have long maintained this was a U.S.-backed “regime change” operation intended to secure oil interests and remove a socialist leader. 

Is there other times that the US has tried to coup Venezuela?

Yes, in addition to the 2002 event, the U.S. has been accused of, or directly involved in, several other efforts aimed at ousting the Venezuelan government, which culminated in the forceful removal of Nicolás Maduro in early January 2026

Key instances since 2002 include:

• 2019 Uprising: The U.S. administration under Donald Trump fully backed opposition leader Juan Guaidó when he declared himself interim president in January 2019. The U.S. and its allies used an intense diplomatic and economic pressure campaign, including extensive sanctions, to try to force Maduro’s resignation. A military uprising called “Operation Liberty” occurred in April 2019, but it ultimately fizzled out when key Maduro officials did not defect as the U.S. and the opposition expected.
• “Operation Gideon” (2020): This was a failed seaborne mercenary incursion in May 2020, widely dubbed the “Bay of Piglets”. The plan, orchestrated by U.S. private security firm Silvercorp USA and Venezuelan dissidents, aimed to infiltrate the country, capture Maduro, and expel him. U.S. officials denied direct government involvement at the time, and an Associated Press investigation found no evidence of it. However, the operation’s mastermind claimed he had the backing of the Trump administration, and the plot was seen by some as a direct consequence of the Trump administration’s aggressive anti-Maduro stance.
• January 2026 Military Operation: The U.S. military conducted an overt operation in the first week of January 2026 to seize Nicolás Maduro. This involved U.S. Special Forces troops and airstrikes, which successfully captured Maduro and his wife, bringing them to the U.S. to face narcoterrorism charges. U.S. officials defended this as a law enforcement operation, while other U.N. member nations condemned it as a violation of international law and a coup. 

Lets go all the way back to 1908 – because I see something there about the US propping up Juan Vincente Gomez.

Yes, historical accounts indicate that the United States provided significant support to Juan Vicente Gómez during his 1908 coup, helping him to seize and consolidate power. 

The 1908 CoupIn December 1908, Venezuelan President Cipriano Castro traveled to Europe for a medical procedure. His Vice President and close ally, Juan Vicente Gómez, seized the opportunity to stage a bloodless coup d’état. 

U.S. Role and Support

The United States, under the William Howard Taft administration, had a vested interest in the removal of Cipriano Castro. Castro had engaged in disputes with foreign powers over debt payments and nationalized industries, leading to diplomatic crises and a naval blockade by the Netherlands in 1908. 

The U.S. provided critical support to Gómez in the following ways:

• Diplomatic Recognition: The U.S. promptly recognized Gómez’s new government, which was crucial international validation.
• Military Presence: The U.S. Navy sent three warships (the USS Maine, USS Dolphin, and USS North Carolina) to anchor off the Venezuelan coast shortly after the coup. This show of force effectively prevented the ousted Castro from returning to the country to reclaim power.
• Negotiation: The U.S. used this leverage to persuade the European powers, particularly the Netherlands, to end their naval blockade once Gómez reversed Castro’s anti-foreign investment policies. 

In exchange for this support, Gómez implemented policies favorable to U.S. and other foreign interests, granting lucrative concessions to foreign oil companies (including Standard Oil) after vast oil fields were discovered. Gómez ruled as a brutal dictator until his death in 1935, but his pro-foreign investment stance ensured good relations with the U.S. and Europe. 

What was the Roosevelt Corollary and how did it relate to US actions in Venezuela in the early 1900s?

The Roosevelt Corollary was a 1904 addition to the Monroe Doctrine that asserted the United States’ right to intervene as an “international police power” in Latin American nations to maintain order and ensure they fulfilled their international obligations. 

It fundamentally shifted U.S. policy from a defensive posture (keeping Europe out) to an active one (authorizing U.S. military intervention to prevent European excuses for entering the hemisphere). 

Relation to Actions in Venezuela

The corollary was directly prompted by the Venezuelan Crisis of 1902–1903, which served as its primary catalyst: 

• Debt Dispute: Venezuelan dictator Cipriano Castro refused to pay massive foreign debts. In response, Britain, Germany, and Italy imposed a naval blockade and bombarded Venezuelan coastal forts in 1902.
• U.S. Fear of Colonization: While the U.S. initially remained neutral, President Theodore Roosevelt grew concerned that European powers would use debt collection as a pretext to seize territory or establish a permanent presence, violating the original Monroe Doctrine.
• Roosevelt’s Intervention: Roosevelt pressured the European nations into international arbitration to resolve the crisis. He famously claimed he sent a large U.S. fleet to the region and threatened war if Germany attempted to land troops.
• The Policy Outcome: Realizing that such crises would recur, Roosevelt articulated the Corollary in his 1904 State of the Union address. He argued that if a nation showed “chronic wrongdoing” or “impotence” (like failing to pay debts), the U.S. was “forced” to intervene to prevent foreign aggression. 

Long-Term Impact

The Roosevelt Corollary provided the legal and moral justification for decades of U.S. military interventions across the Caribbean and Central America, including the 1908 support for Juan Vicente Gómez in Venezuela and subsequent occupations in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Nicaragua. 

In January 2026, the corollary has seen renewed discussion following the U.S. military operation to seize Nicolás Maduro, with critics and scholars debating whether such modern actions are a direct continuation of this “Big Stick” legacy. 

Was the US involved in the 1948 Military Junta?

Yes, historical accounts and declassified documents suggest that the United States, under President Harry Truman’s administration, supported and quickly recognized the military junta that overthrew Venezuela’s first democratically elected president, Rómulo Gallegos, in November 1948. 

U.S. Support and Involvement

While the U.S. State Department publicly denied direct participation at the time, evidence points to a different reality:

• Prior Knowledge: The U.S. Embassy and State Department were aware of the discontent within the Venezuelan military and the brewing plot against the Gallegos government.
• Oil Interests: U.S. oil companies, which held significant investments in Venezuela, were reportedly angered by the Gallegos government’s attempt to increase taxes on their profits. Exiled President Gallegos directly accused U.S. oil interests of instigating the coup.
• Coordination and Recognition: Some sources indicate the U.S. Embassy played a coordinating role in the overthrow. The U.S. delayed official recognition for longer than the military junta might have liked, but ultimately recognized the new de facto government. U.S. officials felt the democratically elected Gallegos was too controlled by the more radical Rómulo Betancourt and feared a “Marxist government”.
• Military Ties: The military figures who led the coup, including Marcos Pérez Jiménez, were part of an armed forces structure that was increasingly influenced and trained by the United States military following World War II. 

The U.S. decision was driven by Cold War anti-communist concerns and the desire to secure stable access for American oil companies, which aligned with U.S. goals of having a compliant, anti-nationalist leader in power. 

I’m seeing something about the US installing Marcos Perez Jimenez as dictator in 1952. Can you elaborate on that situation?

The United States did not “install” Marcos Pérez Jiménez in a literal military sense in 1952, but it was essential in validating his power grab and became his most important international backer.

The transition from a military junta to his personal dictatorship occurred through a rigged election that the U.S. chose to ignore in favor of Cold War stability.

The 1952 Power Grab

• The Election: In November 1952, the ruling military junta (of which Pérez Jiménez was the lead member) held elections for a Constituent Assembly.
• The Fraud: When early returns showed the opposition party (URD) winning by a landslide, the junta stopped the count, censored the news, and declared Pérez Jiménez “Provisional President”.
• U.S. Recognition: Despite the blatant fraud, the U.S. government under President Truman promptly recognized his presidency, prioritizing his virulent anti-communism and his willingness to grant favorable concessions to American oil companies over democratic principles. 

Life Under the Dictatorship (1952–1958)

Once in power, Pérez Jiménez established a repressive regime that the U.S. supported both diplomatically and materially:

• The Legion of Merit: In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower awarded Pérez Jiménez the Legion of Merit, the highest U.S. military honor for foreign leaders, citing his “spirit of friendship and cooperation”.
• Security Assistance: The U.S. provided training and technical assistance to the Seguridad Nacional, the dictator’s feared secret police, which was responsible for the torture, disappearance, and murder of thousands of political opponents.
• Oil and Business: Pérez Jiménez was a “faithful ally” who opened Venezuela’s natural resources to companies like Exxon and Mobil, allowing a portion of the profits to flow back into his personal coffers. 

The 1958 Fallout

When Pérez Jiménez was finally ousted by a popular uprising and military coup in January 1958, he fled to the Dominican Republic and then to Miami, Florida, where he lived in luxury for years. 

The depth of U.S. support for him caused a massive diplomatic crisis; when Vice President Richard Nixon visited Caracas later in 1958, his motorcade was attacked by angry mobs chanting anti-American slogans, a direct reaction to years of Washington propping up the dictator. 

Seeing stuff about Carlos Andres Perez as well. Was he shortly after that?

Carlos Andrés Pérez (often called CAP) did not take power immediately after the 1958 fall of Marcos Pérez Jiménez, but he was a central figure in the democratic government that replaced the dictatorship. 

Pérez served two non-consecutive terms as President of Venezuela:

• First Term (1974–1979): Known as “Saudi Venezuela,” this era was marked by a massive oil boom and the nationalization of the oil industry.
• Second Term (1989–1993): A period of economic crisis, violent riots known as the Caracazo, and two failed coup attempts in 1992, including one led by Hugo Chávez. 

Relationship with the United States

While Pérez maintained a policy of “autonomy” from the U.S. during his first term—re-establishing ties with Cuba and supporting Panama’s claim to the Canal—he remained a key strategic partner. 

• Oil Security: During his first term, Pérez assured the U.S. that Venezuela would not join the Arab-led oil embargo, keeping exports flowing to its main market.
• Anti-Communism: Before becoming president, Pérez served as Interior Minister (1959–1964), where he gained a reputation for ruthlessly suppressing Cuban-backed leftist guerrillas, a move strongly supported by the U.S. during the Cold War.
• Close Ties with U.S. Presidents: Pérez was highly regarded by U.S. leaders; President Jimmy Carter called Venezuela an “example” of democracy in 1977, and President George H.W. Bush described him as one of the “hemisphere’s great democratic leaders”.
• Nicaraguan Interference: In 1993, Pérez became the first Venezuelan president to be impeached and removed from office. He was convicted of embezzling 250 million bolívars from a secret fund, which was allegedly used to support the U.S.-backed candidate Violeta Chamorro in the 1990 Nicaraguan elections. 

Following the modern U.S. military operation to seize Nicolás Maduro in January 2026, the legacy of Carlos Andrés Pérez has been revisited by historians as the era of “stable” U.S.-Venezuelan relations before the rise of Chavismo. 

So Chavez gets elected eventually, is that correct?

Correct. Hugo Chávez was elected president in December 1998 in what is considered a “watershed” election in Venezuelan history. 

His victory was a direct rejection of the two traditional political parties, Democratic Action and COPEI, which had dominated the country for 40 years. 

The Path to the Presidency

• The Coup Backstory: Chávez first gained national fame for leading a failed military coup against Carlos Andrés Pérez in February 1992. Though he was jailed, he was later pardoned by President Rafael Caldera in 1994, which allowed him to enter politics.
• 1998 Election Victory: Running on an anti-corruption and anti-poverty platform, Chávez won with 56.2% of the vote, the largest margin of victory in four decades.
• Mandate for Change: He campaigned on a promise to “refound” the republic through a new constitution, arguing that the existing system served only a small elite. 

“Stable” Relations and the Shift

You are correct that the transition from CAP to Chávez marked a major shift in the U.S.-Venezuela relationship. During his first years in office, Chávez’s relations with the U.S. were relatively moderate. However, the dynamic shifted as he implemented more radical domestic policies and vocalized opposition to U.S. influence. 

The 2026 Context: In January 2026, following the U.S. military operation to capture Nicolás Maduro, historians have noted that while Chávez maintained a high level of electoral legitimacy throughout his rule, the institutional decay that began during his “Bolivarian Revolution” laid the groundwork for the later collapse of the state under Maduro. 

Social Spending: He used oil revenues to fund “missions” providing healthcare, education, and food to the poor, which earned him deep-seated loyalty but also led to the centralization of power.

Did Chavez stop the US from being able to get their oil?

In short: 

No, Hugo Chávez never actually stopped selling oil to the United States.

Despite his aggressive anti-U.S. rhetoric and threats to “suspend oil shipments,” his government remained a major supplier to the U.S. throughout his presidency (1999–2013) because the Venezuelan economy was entirely dependent on those sales. 

However, his policies fundamentally changed the terms of that trade and laid the groundwork for the current 2026 crisis:

• Forced Nationalization (2007): Chávez seized the assets of major U.S. oil companies like ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips after they refused to accept new contracts giving the Venezuelan state majority control. This led to multi-billion dollar lawsuits that the U.S. is still attempting to settle as of January 2026.
• Decaying Production: While he continued to sell oil, Chávez funneled oil revenue into social programs and diverted it from infrastructure maintenance. Under his rule, and later under Maduro, production fell from over 3 million barrels per day in the late 1990s to roughly 840,000 by 2025.
• Redirecting to China: To reduce dependence on the U.S., Chávez began shifting exports toward China, which eventually became Venezuela’s largest buyer and lender. 

Current Situation (January 2026)

Following the U.S. military operation to seize Nicolás Maduro on January 3, 2026, the U.S. has moved to exert unprecedented control over Venezuelan oil:

• Total Control: The Trump administration has announced it will assume control of selling Venezuelan oil indefinitely.
• Forced Shipments: On January 6, 2026, President Trump stated that Venezuela would “hand over” between 30 and 50 million barrels of high-quality oil to the United States.
• Redirected Funds: All proceeds from these sales are now being held in U.S. Treasury accounts, supposedly for the benefit of both the American and Venezuelan people, though none of the funds are initially going to the oil companies Chávez originally ousted. 

These articles explain how Hugo Chávez’s policies impacted Venezuelan oil production and sales to the U.S., alongside current U.S. government plans for Venezuelan crude.

The transition from Hugo Chávez to Nicolás Maduro was a process of careful succession planning that coincided with 

Venezuela’s increasing economic and strategic pivot toward China to bypass U.S. influence.

Handpicked Succession (2012–2013)

As Hugo Chávez’s health declined due to cancer, he took unprecedented steps to ensure the survival of his “Bolivarian Revolution”:

• The Public Mandate: In December 2012, in his final televised address, Chávez explicitly named Nicolás Maduro—then his Vice President and Foreign Minister—as his chosen successor. He famously instructed Venezuelans that if a new election were called, they must vote for Maduro “from [his] heart”.
• Assuming Power: Following Chávez’s death on March 5, 2013, Maduro became interim president.
• The 2013 Election: A special election was held in April 2013. Maduro ran as the “son of Chávez,” heavily using his mentor’s image and recorded voice in the campaign. He won by a razor-thin margin of 1.49% (less than 235,000 votes) over opposition leader Henrique Capriles. The opposition alleged widespread irregularities and demanded a recount, which the government-controlled electoral council ultimately denied. 

The Pivot to China

Chávez had already begun courting China to reduce dependence on the U.S. “rival”. Under Maduro, this became an economic lifeline as the domestic economy began to collapse: 

• Oil-for-Loan Deals: Beginning in 2007, Chávez secured approximately $50 billion in credit lines from China in exchange for guaranteed oil shipments.
• Lifeline Amid Sanctions: As U.S. sanctions intensified starting in 2017, China stepped in as a “dependable friend,” providing infrastructure investment and purchasing nearly $1.6 billion in goods in 2024 alone.
• Strategic Alliance: In 2023, Maduro and Xi Jinping elevated their relationship to an “all-weather strategic partnership,” deepening military and technological ties. 

The 2026 Outcome

This long-standing defiance of U.S. interests through Chinese and Russian alliances reached a breaking point in January 2026.

• Capture: On January 3, 2026, U.S. Special Forces (Delta Force) seized Maduro at the Miraflores Palace.
• Status: As of today, January 7, 2026, Maduro is incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in the U.S., facing four counts of narcoterrorism and cocaine trafficking.
• U.S. Takeover: President Trump has signaled that a primary goal of the operation was to dismantle these foreign alliances and have U.S. oil companies take over the nationalized industry.