Mehdi Hasan debates ex-Venezuelan opposition envoy Vanessa Neumann on US regime change, oil and the fight for democracy.
In January 2026, Venezuela entered a deeply contested chapter after the US removal of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. While the operation was hailed by some as the end of a brutal dictatorship, critics argue it violated international law and replaced one crisis with another.
US President Donald Trump now boasts of controlling Venezuela’s oil, as the country’s interim leadership strikes deals with Washington. Some call this a necessary transition. Opponents say it looks dangerously colonial.
So, has Venezuela moved closer to democracy, and will Venezuela’s future