U.S. Relations With Venezuela

More information is available on the Venezuela Country Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet.

U.S.-VENEZUELA RELATIONS

Venezuela gained its independence from Spain by 1819 as part of the Republic of Colombia and separated from Colombia in 1830.  The United States recognized and established diplomatic relations with Venezuela in 1835.

The United States recognizes the 2015 democratically elected Venezuelan National Assembly as the only legitimate branch of the Government of Venezuela.  The United States and the 2015 National Assembly collaborate closely to achieve the goal of a peaceful restoration of democracy via free and fair presidential and parliamentary elections.   

U.S. Development Assistance to Venezuela

The United States supports the protection of human rights, the promotion of civil society, the strengthening of democratic institutions, and transparency and accountability in the country.  Since 2017, the United States has provided nearly $2.8 billion in humanitarian, economic, development, and health assistance to support Venezuelans inside Venezuela and throughout the region. 

Assistance for Venezuela may be subject to restrictions, including restrictions contained in the annual appropriations acts.

Since 2005, the President of the United States has determined annually that Venezuela has “failed demonstrably” to adhere to its drug control obligations under international counternarcotics agreements.  Venezuela also does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking and is not making any efforts to do so, according to the Department of State’s annual Trafficking in Persons report.  The President of the United States has issued a national interest waiver to enable certain assistance programs vital to the national interests of the United States, such as human rights and civil society programs, to continue.

Pursuant to Section 40A of the Arms Export Control Act, since 2006 the Department of State has determined annually that Venezuela was “not cooperating fully” with U.S. counterterrorism efforts.  Under this provision, defense articles and services may not be sold or licensed for export to Venezuela during the relevant fiscal year.

U.S. Humanitarian Assistance in Response to the Venezuela Regional Crisis

The United States provides humanitarian assistance to help people within Venezuela, as well as Venezuelan migrants and refugees and their host communities across the region, who are struggling to access sufficient food, water, healthcare, and other critical goods and services.  The United States remains the single largest donor of humanitarian aid to people affected by this crisis and supports 17 countries hosting Venezuelan migrants and refugees.  U.S. humanitarian assistance helps to meet critical life-saving needs, including for food and nutrition; water, sanitation, and hygiene; healthcare; protection; and other goods and services.  Our development assistance helps countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean meet longer term needs, such as education deficits, caused by this man-made regional crisis.

Bilateral Economic Relations

The United States has limited economic engagement with Venezuela because of extensive U.S. sanctions imposed upon the Maduro regime for its extensive corruption, economic mismanagement, and violation of international norms.  Venezuela presents the most extremely challenging business climate for U.S. and multinational companies.  The economy has high inflation, state intervention in the economy including expropriations, macroeconomic distortions, physical insecurity, corruption, violations of labor rights, and a volatile regulatory framework.

Since 2017, the United States has made over 350 Venezuelan-related sanction designations, pursuant to various Executive Orders (E.O.) and the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act.  On August 5, 2019, the President of the United States signed E.O. 13884 which blocks all property and interests in property of the Government of Venezuela that are in the United States or that are within the possession or control of any United States person. 

For additional information about the Venezuela sanctions program, please visit the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) website.

Venezuela’s Membership in International Organizations

The Maduro regime has limited access to international organizations because of its record on human rights and undemocratic assumption of power. 

Venezuela continues to be a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and the United Nations. Venezuela also joined the Non-Aligned Movement, the G-15, the G-24, and the G-77.  In 2017, the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) indefinitely suspended Venezuela.

Bilateral Representation

On March 12, 2019, the United States suspended embassy operations in Caracas. 

On August 28, 2019, the Department of State announced the opening of the Venezuela Affairs Unit located in the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Colombia.

More information about Venezuela is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here:

U.S. Government Support for the Democratic Aspirations of the Venezuelan People
CIA World Factbook Venezuela Page  
U.S. Embassy
USAID Venezuela Page 
History of U.S. Relations With Venezuela
Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Countries Page 
U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics 
Library of Congress Country Studies 
Travel Information
U.S. Energy Information Administration 
Venezuela-Related Sanctions | Office of Foreign Assets Control (treasury.gov)