1 / 9US-Venezuela relations have reached a breaking point, as what began as a diplomatic rupture in 1999 has evolved into one of the most volatile rivalries in the Western Hemisphere. This is how decades of distrust took shape. (Image Source: AP)
2 / 9Hugo Chavez came to power on an anti-US platform. He launched the Bolivarian Revolution, indicating a sharp break from Washington-backed economic and political models. (Image Source: Reuters)
3 / 9Chávez rewrote Venezuela’s constitution and later nationalised the oil sector.
These moves deepened mistrust, as US interests and influence in the country shrank going forward. (Image Source: Reuters)
4 / 9In 2002, Chavez was briefly ousted for 48 hours in a failed coup. Venezuela accused the US of involvement. However, Washington denied the charge, but the episode left lasting scars on their bilateral ties. (Image Source: Reuters)
5 / 9Caracas forged closer ties with Russia, China, and Iran, marking a clear shift for Venezuela, i.e., a clear move away from the US-led global order. (Image Source: Reuters)
6 / 9Venezuela expelled US diplomats and NGOs, accusing Washington of interference, and the US responded with criticism over media crackdowns and democratic backsliding. (Image Source: Reuters)
7 / 9Following Chavez’s death, Nicolas Maduro narrowly won the presidency in 2013. Economic mismanagement, falling oil revenues, and corruption accelerate Venezuela’s decline, further straining relations with the US. (Image Source: Reuters)
(Photo Credit : Images captured on March 18, 2025 show Bella 1 vessel after U.S. official confirmed the U.S. Coast Guard pursued an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela. (Photo: Reuters) )
8 / 9By the mid-2010s, US-Venezuela ties were shaped by sanctions, isolation, and mutual hostility, with little diplomatic space left for repair. (Image Source: Reuters)
9 / 9What began as ideological opposition has now hardened into a strategic rivalry. Decades later, the US-Venezuela relationship remains locked in confrontation, with consequences that continue to ripple across the region, even now. (Image Source: Reuters)
