Join the Americas Program for a discussion on the role of U.S. oil licenses and sanctions in the wake of Maduro’s stolen election in Venezuela.
In the past year, sanctions and oil licenses have played a complex role in shaping the Maduro regime’s calculations in Venezuela. U.S. sanctions, primarily targeting the country’s oil industry, sought to curb the Maduro regime's authoritarian actions and press him toward democratic reform. In parallel, the United States also approved oil licenses for specific U.S. and foreign companies to operate within defined frameworks, although it is evident this yielded highly mixed results. The Maduro regime continues to prioritize authoritarian crackdown over any dialogue with the opposition, much less indicate it is ready to leave power on January 10, 2025. This event seeks to analyze the impact of the continued oil licenses allowing U.S., EU, and Indian companies to operate in Venezuela and assess how much of a lifeline this is providing the Maduro regime in its efforts to thwart political transition and move past its electoral drubbing in July 2024. The discussion will also look ahead to the change in U.S. administration, laying the groundwork for policy recommendations in the incoming administration’s Venezuela strategy.
This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.
