What Happened With Venezuela?

Every summary we've sent on Venezuela since January 1, 2025, newest first, each linked to its source. Each brief goes up here 14 days after our readers get it by text the morning it happens. Get today's brief here.

The Latest on Venezuela

Thursday, September 3, 2026

Full Brief
  1. 4

    Oil giant Chevron commits $7B+ to Venezuela over 5yrs to raise production to ~600K oil barrels/day (vs 280K in Jul) citing improved investment terms, new oil fields to develop & lower production costs

Every Summary on Venezuela

September 20261 Summary

  1. Thursday, September 3, 2026Full Brief
    1. 4

      Oil giant Chevron commits $7B+ to Venezuela over 5yrs to raise production to ~600K oil barrels/day (vs 280K in Jul) citing improved investment terms, new oil fields to develop & lower production costs

August 20261 Summary

  1. Monday, August 31, 2026Full Brief
    1. 1

      US & Venezuela reach oil deal to develop 17 Venezuelan oil fields holding 65B barrels of oil reserves, backed by $100B+ investment to rebuild Venezuela's oil industry; Trump says US "secures majority control at no cost to US taxpayers"

July 20262 Summaries

  1. Tuesday, July 28, 2026Full Brief
    1. 3

      Chad moves to withdraw from International Criminal Court, alleging "undeniable selectivity" toward African states; African nation becomes 5th country to begin exit after Venezuela, Burkina Faso, Mali & Niger

  2. Monday, July 27, 2026Full Brief
    1. 2

      Venezuela moves to withdraw from International Criminal Court, alleging bias against Africa & Latin America; Court has investigated alleged crimes against humanity by Venezuelan officials & security forces since 2021

June 20261 Summary

  1. Friday, June 26, 2026Full Brief
    1. 4

      US waives Venezuela sanctions for 120 days to support earthquake relief after 7.2 & 7.5-magnitude quakes; Venezuela's strongest since 1900 kills 188, injures 1.5K & leaves >200 trapped

May 20261 Summary

  1. Tuesday, May 19, 2026Full Brief
    1. 5

      Trump admin announces completion of accelerated mission "to remove highly enriched uranium" from Venezuela's lone nuclear reactor to "strengthen nuclear security worldwide"

March 20261 Summary

  1. Tuesday, March 31, 2026Full Brief
    1. 5

      US resumes operations at embassy in Caracas (closed since 2019) citing "new chapter" in diplomatic engagement under Trump's "3-phase plan for Venezuela"

February 20262 Summaries

  1. Tuesday, February 17, 2026Full Brief
    1. 4

      Cuba postpones 26yo cigar festival "as result of US's blockade"; Island faces severe oil shortage from getting cut off from Venezuelan oil, following Jan 3 operation to seize Venezuelan President Maduro

  2. Monday, February 2, 2026Full Brief
    1. 4

      Venezuelan acting President Rodriguez signs law opening oil sector to privatization, reversing 20yrs+ of state control & allowing private companies full management

January 20265 Summaries

  1. Monday, January 12, 2026Full Brief
    1. 1

      Trump declares national emergency to "safeguard Venezuelan oil revenues held in US from creditor seizures," requiring Treasury Dept to hold assets in sovereign custody for "diplomatic purposes"

  2. Thursday, January 8, 2026Full Brief
    1. 3

      US seizes Russian-flagged oil tanker "Marinera" after weeks-long pursuit, citing sanctions & violations tied to Venezuela; 2nd tanker MT Sophia also seized for "illicit activities" in Caribbean

  3. Wednesday, January 7, 2026Full Brief
    1. 4

      Reuters/Ipsos poll: 34% of Americans disapprove US removal of Venezuelan President Maduro (vs 33% approve) with ~75% concerned US "too involved" & 51% believing strikes aimed to access Venezuela's oil

  4. Tuesday, January 6, 2026Full Brief
    1. 1

      Venezuela Supreme Court swears in VP Delcy Rodriguez as interim President after US captures Maduro & wife, who both plead not guilty to drug & weapons charges in 1st appearance in US federal court in NY

  5. Monday, January 5, 2026Full Brief
    1. 1

      US airstrikes Caracas, Venezuela, capturing President Maduro & wife (now held in NY awaiting court on drug charges); Trump says US will run Venezuela temporarily until "safe, proper & judicious transition" & threatens 2nd strike if remaining officials "don't cooperate on drug trafficking & oil industry overhaul"

December 20253 Summaries

  1. Thursday, December 18, 2025Full Brief
    1. 1

      Trump orders "total blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers" & claims Venezuelan government designated "Foreign Terrorist Organization" over alleged terrorism, drug smuggling, human trafficking; Venezuela condemns move as "grotesque" & violation of international law

  2. Friday, December 12, 2025Full Brief
    1. 2

      US seizes "record-large" oil tanker off Venezuela carrying 1.1M barrels; AG Bondi says FBI, DHS, Coast Guard & Pentagon executed seizure warrant citing tanker's "involvement in illicit oil network supporting terrorists"

  3. Monday, December 1, 2025Full Brief
    1. 5

      Venezuela bans 6 major airlines (Iberia, TAP Portugal, Gol, Latam, Avianca & Turkish Airlines) from landing after missing 48hr deadline to resume flights suspended due to FAA warning of "heightened military activity" near Caracas

November 20252 Summaries

  1. Tuesday, November 25, 2025Full Brief
    1. 6

      US designates Venezuela's "Cartel de los Soles" (informal criminal network of high-ranking military officials) as Foreign Terrorist Organization, claiming Maduro's leadership & links to terrorism, drug trafficking

  2. Thursday, November 13, 2025Full Brief
    1. 3

      Venezuela deploys 200K troops for nationwide military exercise in response to US military buildup in Caribbean including arrival of aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford (world's largest), F35 jets & 6 Navy ships

October 20252 Summaries

  1. Friday, October 17, 2025Full Brief
    1. 1

      Trump confirms authorizing covert CIA operations in Venezuela for lethal missions across Caribbean "to curb illegal migration & drug trafficking", escalating pressure on Maduro, who accuses US of pursuing regime change

  2. Monday, October 13, 2025Full Brief
    1. 4

      Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado wins 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for uniting opposition & leading nonviolent democracy push under President Maduro despite threats & exile

September 20251 Summary

  1. Tuesday, September 2, 2025Full Brief
    1. 4

      9th Circuit Appeals Court unanimously blocks Trump admin from ending Temporary Protected Status for 600K Venezuelans, ruling DHS Sec Noem lacked authority to undo prior extension

August 20251 Summary

  1. Thursday, August 21, 2025Full Brief
    1. 5

      Venezuelan President Maduro to deploy 4.5M militias nationwide to defend territory after US doubled bounty for his arrest to $50M & launched warships in anti-drug operations in Caribbean

June 20251 Summary

  1. Thursday, June 5, 2025Full Brief
    1. 1

      Trump bans US entry due to security risk for 12 countries (Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen) & imposes visitor restrictions for 7 countries (Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan & Venezuela), effective Jun 9

May 20253 Summaries

  1. Friday, May 30, 2025Full Brief
    1. 2

      Supreme Court allows Trump admin to strip refugee status from 530K immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela; ~1M immigrants now risk deportation

  2. Wednesday, May 21, 2025Full Brief
    1. 3

      Supreme Court approves Trump's emergency request, revoking 350K Venezuelans' refugee status, exposing them to deportation to country deemed unsafe by Biden admin

  3. Friday, May 9, 2025Full Brief
    1. 1

      Russia marks 80th WWII anniversary via its traditional military parade, drawing 20+ world leaders including China, Brazil & Venezuela despite global isolation for its invasion of Ukraine; China & Russia publicly reinforce partnership

April 20252 Summaries

  1. Monday, April 21, 2025Full Brief
    1. 8

      El Salvador President Bukele proposes prisoner swap of 252 Venezuelans deported from US for 252 of Venezuelan President's jailed political opposition

  2. Tuesday, April 8, 2025Full Brief
    1. 5

      Supreme Court allows (5-4) Trump to use 1798 wartime law to deport Venezuelan migrants but requires court hearing with "reasonable time"

March 20253 Summaries

  1. Thursday, March 27, 2025Full Brief
    1. 6

      US Appeals court upholds block on Trump's invocation of wartime law to deport Venezuelan migrants

  2. Tuesday, March 25, 2025Full Brief
    1. 4

      Trump announces 25% tariff on all goods from countries buying oil or gas from Venezuela starting in Apr, increasing pressure over country's alleged Tren de Aragua gang infiltration into US; While China buys 68% of Venezuela's oil, US is also a buyer

  3. Monday, March 17, 2025Full Brief
    1. 5

      Trump invokes 18th-century wartime law to deport 250+ alleged Venezuelan gang member migrants to El Salvador's paid prisons despite DC federal judge voiding invocation & temporarily barring the deportations

February 20251 Summary

  1. Wednesday, February 5, 2025Full Brief
    1. 5

      DHS revokes Temporary Protected Status of 350k Venezuelans in US, placing them under deportation risk

January 20253 Summaries

  1. Monday, January 13, 2025Full Brief
    1. 3

      US raised arrest reward for Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro to $25M citing drug trafficking charges after he was sworn in for 3rd term despite credible evidence of election loss

    2. 4

      Biden admin extended protected status for 940k migrants (Venezuela, El Salvador, Ukraine, Sudan) by 18mo

  2. Friday, January 10, 2025Full Brief
    1. 4

      Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro sworn in for 3rd 6yr term despite evidence opponent won election; Venezuelan authorities briefly detained opposition leader Maria Corina Machado after protest, reportedly coercing her into recording videos

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