About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

1 [1] (Updated April 4, 2025)

handle is hein.crs/vaplcsad0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service Inforrning the legislative debate since 1914 Venezuela: Political Crisis and U.S. Policy Over the past several Congresses, Members have expressed concerns about authoritarian governance under Venezuelan President Nicolds Maduro (2013-present). Maduro took office after garnering a narrow electoral victory following the death of Hugo Chavez (in office 1999-2013), founder of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela. Maduro has remained in power following elections in 2018 and 2024 that were both considered fraudulent by international observers, the United States, and most U.S.-aligned democracies. After the July 28, 2024, election, Maduro claimed victory even though precinct-level vote tabulations comprising more than 80% of votes cast indicated that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzilez Urrutia won with 67% of the vote. On January 10, 2025, Maduro began a third term. Neither the economic pressure of the first Trump Administration nor limited sanctions relief and negotiation efforts by the Biden Administration facilitated a return to democracy. Maduro retained the support of Venezuelan security forces, illicit actors, and allies such as China, Cuba, Iran, and Russia. The 119th Congress may assess U.S. policies, including support for the Venezuelan opposition and the efficacy of sanctions, while considering U.S. energy and migration control interests. Opposition leader Marfa Corina Machado (who was barred from running in 2024) has urged President Trump to end licenses that have allowed companies to operate in Venezuela's energy sector. The Department of the Treasury revoked U.S. oil company Chevron's license in early March 2025; Maduro then paused flights of Venezuelans removed from the United States. It is unclear how the Trump Administration's reported termination of some humanitarian and democracy assistance programs in Venezuela may affect the country's population and democratic opposition. Political Situation Venezuela, which the nongovernmental organization Freedom House ranked as partly free under President Chavez, has deteriorated to not free under Maduro. Chavez, a charismatic politician, benefited from high oil prices and won most elections by a large majority. In contrast, Maduro has experienced narrow wins and some electoral defeats (including in the 2015 legislative elections, in which his party lost control for the first time since 1999). The opposition, once weak and divided, has remained united since 2022 as the Unitary Platform (PUD). Maduro has relied on security forces and corrupt influence over the courts to quash dissent. He has allowed security forces to enrich themselves through illicit gold mining, drug trafficking, and extortion. The International Criminal Court is investigating alleged crimes against humanity committed by Venezuelan security forces since at least 2017. Updated April 4, 2025 Security forces have detained and reportedly abused Maduro's opponents, including dissidents in the military, opposition politicians, and protesters, particularly since the 2024 elections. As of March 10, 2025, the government held 1,014 political prisoners, according to Venezuelan human rights group Foro Penal. After Venezuela's attorney general issued an arrest warrant for Gonzilez, he fled into exile in September 2024. Gonzilez visited several countries in January 2025 and met with then-President Biden in Washington, DC, but could not return to Venezuela. Machado, who remains in Venezuela, led protests on January 9 but then returned to hiding. Economic and Humanitarian Crisis By most accounts, Maduro's government has mismanaged the economy and engaged in widespread corruption. Between 2014 and 2021, Venezuela's economy contracted by 80%, according to estimates by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), due to low global oil prices and the country's declining oil production. According to a 2021 Government Accountability Office report, sanctions imposed by the United States from 2017 to 2019, particularly those targeting Venezuela's oil industry, contributed to the country's economic crisis. Hyperinflation declined from 337% in 2023 to 59.6% in 2024, according to the IMF, but income levels remain insufficient for most households to purchase basic necessities. According to one national survey by a Venezuelan university, roughly 82.8% of the population of 26.5 million lived in income poverty in 2023, particularly outside the capital of Caracas. In 2024, an estimated 7.6 million Venezuelans (28% of the population) required humanitarian assistance, according to the United Nations. Many households lack reliable access to potable water, and interruptions in electrical service and gas supplies persist. Health indicators, particularly infant and maternal mortality rates, remain poor. As of December 2024, UN agencies estimated there were some 7.9 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants globally. Some 6.7 million of these individuals reside in other Latin American and Caribbean countries. Venezuelan refugees and migrants reportedly face obstacles to keeping jobs and accessing health care; they may be vulnerable to human trafficking and other abuses. These factors have contributed to secondary migration to the United States. U.S. Policy The U.S. government ceased recognizing Maduro as Venezuela's legitimate president in January 2019 and recognizes the democratically elected, opposition- controlled 2015 National Assembly as the only legitimate branch of the Government of Venezuela, even though most of its members are in exile. From January 2019 through its dissolution in December 2022, the 2015 National Assembly backed an interim government led by its ittps://c rsrepo rts~co nqross~qov

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most