The relationship of the United States with Bolivarian Venezuela has been, as political scientist Carlos Romero describes it, "schizophrenic": "A government that demonizes the United States but at the same time obtains great commercial benefits from that country: Venezuela sends 1,300,000 barrels of oil and oil by-products daily to the U.S. market, 41% of total sales ".
While the tension between the two countries, which has intensified since the beginning of Donald Trump's presidency, is true, the reality refutes the myth that "the United States attacks the Bolivarian revolution for its interest in seizing Venezuelan oil". In fact, the company Chevron participates in four oil extraction projects within the country under the modality of "mixed companies", created by Hugo Chávez in 2007 to attract international private investment to the energy sector, which generates 9 out of every 10 dollars in the state budget.
The relationship is changing now, as the Trump administration has adopted a policy of "maximum pressure on Maduro", increasing the financial sanctions that will force Chevron to close its operations in Venezuela on December 1st. The decision is intended to influence the Latino vote in the upcoming U.S. elections in which Trump is seeking re-election. Despite some official rhetoric from White House officials who claim that "all options are on the table" to end Nicolas Maduro's rule, informed sources within the country have ruled out the possibility of military intervention. Geoff Ramsey, a member of the progressive NGO Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), has stated: "The United States has ruled out intervention for political reasons, they know it would be unpopular in the region because until now the Lima Group - coalition of Latin American governments - has been adamant in supporting a peaceful solution. And it would also be unpopular within the US, there is not much domestic support for military interventions in other countries after the experiences of Iran and Afghanistan. And even less so during election campaign season.
