The Intensifying Conflict Between The United States and Venezuela
The relationship between Venezuela and the United States has been quite tense in recent years. What started as a huge political disagreement between Trump and Maduro, the United States and Venezuelan president, turned into a long, drawn-out conflict involving sanctions, deportation, and rising military tensions.
The dispute started in 2017, when the Trump administration refused to acknowledge Nicolás Maduro’s re-election as Venezuela’s president. Instead, they recognized Juan Guaidó as the rightful president.
Juan Guaidó declared himself the interim president in 2019 after the opposition-controlled National Assembly declared Maduro’s re-election illegitimate. Despite getting support from multiple other countries, Guaidó failed to replace Maduro as he still had control of the government, military, and judiciary.
Trump’s acknowledgment of Juan Guaidó as the rightful president of Venezuela led to massive pre-planned nationwide protests, both against and in support of Guaidó, and the complete loss of diplomatic ties.
In Donald Trump’s first term as president, he implemented a policy that was primarily focused on pressuring the Maduro government in Venezuela by threatening economic sanctions and removing visas from Venezuelan citizens.
In his second term, however, Trump has increased the pressure. His administration has taken several actions against Venezuela, including but not limited to military strikes, covert CIA operations, and terminating the Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans.
At the beginning of September 2025, the U.S. military conducted strikes on multiple boats in the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans, allegedly smuggling drugs through the waters. These strikes have resulted in at least 40 casualties.
These actions have been called unlawful and legally questioned by many, including legal experts, as the U.S. cannot execute people accused of drug trafficking without due process, especially when not in an armed conflict.
“It really feels corrupt that this happened, because it really shouldn’t have happened at all; we’re basically executing people without due process. It’s illegal and it doesn’t conform to American values at all,” said sophomore Brisa Baez.
Anna Kelly, a White House spokeswoman, has refuted these allegations, stating in an email to the New York Times that “The president acted in line with the law of armed conflict to protect our country from those trying to bring deadly poison to our shores…”
While the Trump administration continues to accuse Venezuela of drug trafficking, they have denied all accusations of this and is now viewing the United States’ military action as a ploy to overthrow their government. According to BBC News, Tarek William Saab, Venezuela’s attorney general, has stated that there is “no doubt” that the U.S. is trying to overthrow the Venezuelan government, as well as stating that he believes Trump wants to turn Venezuela into a U.S. colony.
Additionally, one of the ships that was originally believed to be Venezuelan has been suspected to actually be Colombian. Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s president, claimed that one of the ships struck in September of this year actually belonged to his country.
“This situation should be a reminder to always put pressure on our government to mull over their choices before being rash. The U.S. knows how much damage it can do and how much power it has, and they should act accordingly,” said freshman Carlos Mesa.
Eight United States warships are also now patrolling the waters near Venezuela. Venezuela responded with its own military drills, warships, and drones. It also led to an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting.
Additionally, President Trump has publicly confirmed that he has authorized the CIA to conduct secret investigations and operations inside Venezuela. This was done to measure and combat drug trafficking. Although some have tried to say this action was not legal, the president has the authority to send the CIA to foreign countries, including Venezuela.
Economic sanctions remain a huge part of Trump’s policy. In February of this year, the United States ended a deal that allowed Chevron, an energy corporation most prominently known for its gasoline, to produce and export Venezuelan oil. Venezuela’s oil industry is its main source of income.
Although these actions are mostly directed toward the Maduro government, it is greatly affecting the citizens of Venezuela. However, Nicolás Maduro hasn’t backed down despite the actions taken by the U.S. government.
This situation has multiple views. The Maduro government used a crisis to rally support against the United States. This crisis was when Venezuela lost more than an estimated eight million citizens, according to the United Nations, by mid-2025. The flow of migrants towards the U.S. border intensified political debates, and inside Venezuela, Maduro’s government then accused the U.S. of trying to destroy the nation’s economy and independence.
As migrants, some being Venezuelan, flood into the United States to find refuge, control around the border, and deportations are still a major battleground that rocks the states. In May 2025, the United States Supreme Court allowed President Trump to cancel TPS for Venezuelans, after a smaller court blocked the request, ending their work permits and deportation protection.
His administration also attempted to use an old law, called the Alien Enemies Act, to speed up the deportations of Venezuelans who had been accused of crimes. However, a court blocked this because it was a centuries-old wartime statute, and they claimed that it was inappropriate for the situation, as “invasion or predatory incursion” had not occurred.
This debate between the two countries may calm down in the next few years, or it may push the United States and Venezuela closer to full-on war. Chances of negotiation are slim as the U.S. prepares to continue striking “Venezuelan drug boats.” However, these chances are not impossible, as both sides have shown a willingness to negotiate.
The relationship between Trump’s United States and Maduro’s Venezuela has drastically intensified from a small dispute between nations into an extremely serious confrontation, resulting in many casualties, significant military presence in the Caribbean, accusations of an attempt to overthrow the Venezuelan government, and the Venezuelan military being deployed for action.
As the situation between the two countries progresses, tensions are expected to remain high, as neither side plans on stepping down. The conflict may further escalate if an agreement is not reached, leading to potentially worse military actions, economic sanctions, and a possibly deeper humanitarian crisis across Latin America.
