US Power, Venezuelan Defiance: The Forces Driving the Latest Crisis

by Lāsma Kokina

In this paper, we discuss:

• The sharp escalation in US-Venezuela tensions, driven by Trump’s designation of Venezuelan gangs as terrorist organisations, expanded CIA covert operations, and the largest US military build-up in the Caribbean in decades;
• Washington’s “maximum pressure” strategy, designed to intimidate and destabilise Maduro without committing to a full-scale war;
• Venezuela’s rapid mobilisation of nearly 200,000 troops under “Independence Plan 200,” signalling readiness for asymmetric defence despite limited conventional strength;
• Trump’s mixed signals on military action, balancing domestic political considerations with strategic uncertainty;
• The strengthened role of opposition leader María Corina Machado, whose Nobel Peace Prize provides international legitimacy and reinforces US justification for continued pressure

Download PDF: U.S-Venezuela November 2025