Venezuela

Once a thriving democracy, Venezuela today is in one of its darkest times in history. Years of economic mismanagement, cronyism, and democratic erosion, further fueled by hyperinflation, power cuts, and shortages of food and medicine, have triggered a humanitarian and migration crisis with reverberations across Latin America and beyond. A peaceful democratic transition will remain as the top priority—and the first step—toward a more prosperous future for Venezuelans and the hemisphere.

Recent analysis

#AlertaVenezuela: November 5, 2019

Memo to… Feb 3, 2026

Memo to the president: Steps to secure a prosperous, US-aligned Venezuela

By Jason Marczak, Ambassador James Story, General (ret.) Laura J. Richardson, and Geoff Ramsey

One month after Nicolás Maduro’s removal from power, Washington has significant leverage it can use in the short term to boost the odds of a stable, democratic Venezuela emerging in the long term. To that end, our experts lay out the tough asks the US government should make of interim president Delcy Rodríguez.
Corruption Democratic Transitions
#AlertaVenezuela: November 5, 2019

Dispatches Jan 5, 2026

Now comes the hard part: What Trump should do next to secure Venezuela’s democratic future

By Jason Marczak

The United States is now forced to depend on the remnants of the Maduro regime for the next stage in the mission.
Democratic Transitions Latin America
#AlertaVenezuela: November 5, 2019

Fast Thinking Jan 3, 2026

What to watch in a post-Maduro Venezuela

By Atlantic Council

President Donald Trump said the United States will now “run” Venezuela—but what will that mean in practice?
Democratic Transitions Latin America

Programs

The Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center broadens understanding of regional transformations and delivers constructive, results-oriented solutions to inform how the public and private sectors can advance hemispheric prosperity.

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The Venezuela Working Group

The Venezuela Working Group (VWG) is a high-level group that informs policymakers in the United States, Europe, and Latin America on how to advance a long-term vision and action-oriented policies to foster democratic stability in Venezuela. The Venezuela Working Group seeks to promote the restoration of democratic institutions in Venezuela.

VWG members draw from their diverse backgrounds, global networks, and deep expertise to tackle the most challenging issues around Venezuela policy, both at the domestic and international levels. Priority issues for the VWG’s 2021 work include: supporting Venezuela’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts; assessing risks and opportunities around upcoming regional elections; and exploring non-traditional mechanisms for effectively mitigating Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis.

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Venezuela policy BITES

Content

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#AlertaVenezuela

Nov 5, 2019

#AlertaVenezuela: November 5, 2019

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

Nicolás Maduro has been accused of being an instigator behind social unrest in Latin American countries, including in Chile and Ecuador. Twitter accounts operating from Venezuela have a history of attempting to influence domestic events in Catalonia and in the United States. The DFRLab analyzed 1.1 million tweets about protests in Chile, posted between October 16 and October 25, 2019, to measure the possibility of involvement of the Maduro regime’s digital militias in the country.

Disinformation Venezuela
AlertaVenezuela email banner

#AlertaVenezuela

Oct 29, 2019

#AlertaVenezuela: October 29, 2019

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

On October 24, 2019, the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued an order giving Juan Guaidó’s team three months to "restructure or refinance payments" by suspending the terms of some financial sanctions, which – if implemented – would have foreclosed on Venezuelan-owned Citgo’s oil refineries in Texas and which were originally meant to pressure Nicolás Maduro from office. The move was intended to shield Guaidó, who is recognized as interim President of Venezuela by more than 50 countries as of June 2019, from losing control of Citgo.

Disinformation Venezuela
AlertaVenezuela email banner

#AlertaVenezuela

Oct 22, 2019

#AlertaVenezuela: October 22, 2019

By Atlantic Council's DFRLab

In September, Twitter suspended one of the most active accounts involved in the Maduro regime's ongoing operation to position pro-regime hashtags among the trending topics on the platform. The account @tuiteros_vzla, also known as Tuiteros Patriotas, primarily amplified the daily hashtags posted by the Venezuelan Ministry of Communications and offered monetary compensation to users who tweeted out the hashtags.

Disinformation Venezuela

In the News

Oct 22, 2019

Cohen in Forbes: Russia Attempts To Take Over Venezuelan Oil, Creating A Challenge For The U.S.

By Atlantic Council

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance

New Atlanticist

Sep 26, 2019

Colombian president aims for “second phase” of US-Colombian ties

By David A. Wemer

Twenty years after the United States enacted Plan Colombia, Ivan Duque said the United States and Colombia are ready for the next chapter of their partnership, focusing on solidifying the rule of law , promoting entrepreneurship and trade, and managing growing regional challenges.

Colombia Migration

New Atlanticist

Sep 24, 2019

Trump defends his foreign policy to the world at UNGA

By David A. Wemer

Trump justified his vision for the United States' role in the world to the UNGA crowd. Here what Atlantic Council experts think it means.

China Iran

In the News

Sep 23, 2019

Marczak quoted in Voice of America on Venezuela and the 74th UNGA

By Atlantic Council

Corruption Human Rights

Report

Sep 12, 2019

Russia’s intervention in Venezuela: What’s at stake?

By John E. Herbst and Jason Marczak

Venezuela is suffering one of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis in recent memory, Russia has become a key actor that has provided a lifeline of support to Maduro and his cronies. Today, Russia’s efforts to prop up Nicolás Maduro have been a relatively low-cost, but high-reward strategy for Moscow to sow further instability in the United States' own hemisphere.

Democratic Transitions Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

Event Recap

Jul 16, 2019

The US-Colombia partnership: From Venezuela’s crisis to counter-narcotics efforts

By Bryan Wilensky

The Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, in partnership with the United States Institute for Peace, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars’ Latin America Program, and the Inter-American Dialogue, hosted H.E. Carlos Holmes Trujillo, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, for a discussion on the future of US-Colombia relations. The conversation was moderated […]

Colombia Conflict

New Atlanticist

Jul 16, 2019

As crisis continues in Venezuela, Colombia’s “borders are open,” foreign minister says

By David A. Wemer

"We are receiving Venezuelans with a sense of solidarity."

Colombia Venezuela
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Experts

Staff

Ilona Barrero

Project Assistant

Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

Colombia English

Fellow

Hagar Hajjar Chemali

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative GeoEconomics Center

Economy & Business Financial Sanctions and Economic Coercion

Fellow

Parsifal D’Sola

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Global China Hub

China Chinese

Fellow

Adriana D’Elia

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center

Civil Society English

Fellow

David L. Goldwyn

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center Global Energy Center

Caribbean Climate Change & Climate Action

Fellow

Brian O’Toole

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Economic Statecraft Initiative GeoEconomics Center

Cuba Economy & Business
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Events

Public Event Fri, March 20, 2026 • 2:00 pm ET

The fight for influence in Venezuela against Russia, China, Iran, and Cuba
Americas Latin America Politics & Diplomacy Venezuela