Venezuela and Washington's Shadow, 2018–2025

Image via the Communist Party of Cuba

By Arnaldo Laborde, translated from the Spanish

Venezuela's recent history is incomplete without acknowledging the influence of a power from the north that has launched attacks that were more than just words. Since 2018, the United States has waged a continuous offensive against the Caribbean nation, evolving from economic sanctions to military maneuvers, including covert operations and diplomatic isolation efforts. What initially started as political pressure transformed into an undeclared war, deeply impacting the daily lives of millions of Venezuelans.

January 2019: The Day the Damn Broke

Everything changed when Washington acknowledged Juan Guaidó as the "interim president" of Venezuela. In Caracas, the announcement struck like lightning. The streets buzzed with uncertainty, as Nicolás Maduro's government condemned what it called a foreign-orchestrated coup attempt. Citgo, Venezuela's prized oil asset in the U.S., was seized. State bank accounts were frozen, and the pressure began to mount.

Suffocating sanctions

Between 2020 and 2022, the sanctions became more aggressive. The oil embargo paralyzed the country's main source of income. Imports of food and medicine were drastically reduced. For many, the dollar has become an elusive phantom. In the popular neighborhoods, resistance was coordinated through community kitchens and solidarity networks. But the damage was done: hospitals without supplies, schools without electricity, families separated by forced migration.

Covert operations and open threats

In May 2020, the failed "Operation Gideon" revealed a new level of aggression. Mercenaries trained in Colombia tried to enter through the Venezuelan coast with the aim of capturing Maduro. The government denounced any connections with U.S. agencies. While Washington denied direct involvement, the underlying suspicions were difficult to dismiss.

Simultaneously, Trump's rhetoric grew more intense. "All options are on the table," he said. In 2020, warships started patrolling the Caribbean with an unsettling regularity.

2025: The year on the edge

This year, tensions escalated to unprecedented levels. U.S. strikes have destroyed alleged Venezuelan ships in international waters, citing drug trafficking as the reason. Fourteen people were killed, with no prior warning. Caracas has filed a complaint with the UN, yet the international media has remained silent.

In July, nuclear submarines were sighted near the island of La Orchila. The threat was no longer symbolic. It was tangible. It was real.

Empire or democracy?

While Washington insists that its actions seek to "restore democracy," in Venezuela many see a strategy of imperial domination. "It's not help, it's aggression." "They want us to surrender, but they don't know us."

Resistance with a human face

In spite of everything, the Venezuelan people have resisted. With creativity, through hardship, and with dignity. Impromptu solidarity markets appear on street corners. Hope is broadcast on community radio. In every daily action, one truth is reinforced: Venezuela does not surrender.

Epilogue

The history of these years is recorded not just in diplomatic reports or global headlines. It is inscribed in the bodies that persevere, in the voices that protest, and in the silences that wound. Despite the uncertainty of the future, one thing remains unchanged: the determination of a people who, under invisible fire, continue to stand strong.

This work was translated and shared via a License CC-BY-NC