U.S.-Venezuela relations

After returning to power, President Donald Trump halted and then changed the terms of Chevron’s operations in Venezuela, contending that it minimizes the company’s financial transfers to the country. Rather than funneling dollars into Venezuela directly, Chevron now hands part of the oil it produces to the Venezuelan government, which continues to own the oil fields.

The U.S. seizure of an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast looks designed to further squeeze the economy of President Nicolás Maduro’s country. But what exactly is the Trump administraion’s aim in going after the tanker, and how could this impact the already beleaguered economy of Venezuela? The Conversation U.S. turned to Rice University’s Francisco J. Monaldi, an expert on Latin American energy policy, for answers.

Although President Donald Trump’s administration has been openly hostile to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro for months, there’s no sign Maduro has given up power as a result.

President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela has tightened his personal security, including changing beds, and leaned on Cuba, a key ally, amid a growing threat of a U.S. military intervention in the country.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was once critical of English. But he now sings John Lennon's "Imagine" and promotes peace with his newest catchphrase "No War, Yes Peace." Venezuela's opposition says this is a display of desperation.

The Trump's administration has ramped up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by designating the Cartel de los Soles as a foreign terrorist organization.

It's a stark flex of American military power not seen in Latin America for generations. Some experts foresee warplanes catapulting off the USS Gerald R Ford to strike targets in Venezuela unless authoritarian President Nicholas Maduro resigns.

The Trump administration asserted without providing any evidence that the boats were carrying illegal drugs. Fourteen boats that the administration alleged were being operated by drug traffickers have been struck, killing 43 people.

The authorization is the latest step in the Trump administration’s intensifying pressure campaign against Venezuela. For weeks, the U.S. military has been targeting boats off the Venezuelan coast it says are transporting drugs, killing 27 people.

Residents say drug trafficking and fishing are common, but the strike has halted local spending. Fishermen claim they don't transport drugs but understand why some do, as fishing alone leads to poverty.

Over 260 people were released from prisons in El Salvador and Venezuela. Now they face the challenge of coming home.

The resolution represents a diplomatic achievement for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and helps President Donald Trump in his goal of bringing home Americans jailed abroad.