The Escalating Conflict: A Timeline of US-Venezuela Relations From Sanctions to Military Confrontation

US has accused Maduro of leading the so-called "Cartel of the Suns."

France:

The capture of an oil tanker near Venezuela's coastline this week represents the latest development in a prolonged conflict between Washington and Caracas, which began with American sanctions in 2006 and has recently escalated to strikes against suspected drug-trafficking vessels.

2006: Initial Sanctions

Diplomatic ties between Washington and Venezuela deteriorated following President Hugo Chavez's rise to power as Latin America's prominent leftist leader.

In 2006, President George W. Bush's administration prohibited the sale of weapons and American-manufactured military equipment to Venezuela, citing insufficient cooperation in counter-terrorism efforts.

By 2010, both nations had withdrawn their ambassadors from each other's capitals.

2014: Human Rights Violation Claims

After Chavez's death in 2013 and his chosen successor Nicolas Maduro's ascension to power, Barack Obama's administration implemented sanctions against several high-ranking Venezuelan officials in late 2014 and early 2015, freezing their American assets and revoking visas.

Washington alleged that Venezuela violated human rights during its harsh suppression of demonstrations against Maduro.

2017: Trump Suggests Military Intervention

Donald Trump's first administration in 2017 imposed financial sanctions on various senior officials, including supreme court members, for undermining parliamentary authority.

The legislative body had been under opposition control since late 2015.

After Maduro established a Constituent Assembly to override parliament, Washington sanctioned him, freezing his assets in the United States.

Trump initially mentioned a "military option" regarding Venezuela, a threat he would continue to repeat in subsequent years.

Washington banned the acquisition of bonds issued by the Venezuelan government and the national oil company PDVSA.

2019: Enhanced Sanctions

Following Maduro's re-election, which Washington and other capitals dismissed as fraudulent, Trump intensified economic sanctions in 2019 with the objective of economically strangling the country and removing Maduro from power.

Caracas severed diplomatic relations after the United States and dozens of other nations recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president.

Guaido's self-declared government was dissolved in 2023.

Washington additionally imposed sanctions on oil company PDVSA and Venezuela's central bank.

2019: Oil Embargo

On April 28, 2019, Washington implemented an oil embargo against Venezuela. It subsequently froze all Venezuelan government assets in the United States.

The oil embargo was temporarily relaxed in 2023 to offset the shortage of Russian crude following the Ukraine invasion.

It was reinstated when Washington claimed that Maduro failed to fulfill his commitment to conduct a fair presidential election in 2024, with opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, a future Nobel Peace laureate, being declared ineligible.

At the beginning of his second term in early 2025, Trump terminated the oil licenses that had permitted oil and gas multinationals to operate in Venezuela despite sanctions.

US company Chevron was allowed to resume operations in July, but was prohibited from transferring funds to the government.

2020: $50 Million Reward for Maduro

In 2020, Maduro and several associates were charged in the United States with "narco-terrorism," with Washington offering a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest.

In August 2025, the reward was increased to $50 million.

Washington accuses Maduro of leading the so-called "Cartel of the Suns," whose existence remains unverified according to experts.

2025: Caribbean Airstrikes

August 2025 marked the commencement of a substantial military deployment in the Caribbean Sea, where Washington has been conducting deadly airstrikes against suspected drug-smuggling vessels since September, accusing Caracas of facilitating drug trafficking into the United States.

On Wednesday, December 10, the United States announced the seizure of an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast. Caracas responded by accusing Washington of international piracy.