Venezuela's End: Reviving the Monroe Doctrine

Peter Zeihan 5 min

The United States is returning home to focus on the Western Hemisphere. Venezuela now imports 80% of its food because only one major American company remains operational enough to generate capital.

  • Donald Trump

Chapters

  1. 0:00

    The Return of the Monroe Doctrine

    The United States is re-engaging with Latin America as a priority after shifting focus away from global powers like China and Russia.

  2. 2:30

    The Collapse of Venezuela's Infrastructure

    Venezuela has lost its sophisticated energy sector and food production capabilities over the last 30 years due to mismanagement. The country now imports 80% of its food because only one major American company remains operational enough to generate capital.

Key points

  • 0:25

    The United States is returning home to focus on the Western Hemisphere.

  • 2:30

    Latin America has risen up the scale of U.S. interest as other global issues fade.

  • 2:30

    Venezuela was once a tight U.S. ally and a fairly successful country.

  • 2:30

    Nationalization of oil in the 1970s began a partnership with Western multinationals.

  • 2:30

    Output reached over 3 million barrels per day by the mid-1990s.

  • 2:30

    Hugo Chavez brought a Trump-like character to power who used resources for his personal cult.

  • 2:30

    Chavez began a 25-year process of driving the country into the ground.

  • 2:30

    Maduro was chosen because he was good at keeping the population under control.

  • 2:30

    Maduro learned everything he knows at the feet of Chavez and doubled down on oppression.

  • 2:30

    Venezuela used to have an excellent educational system.

  • 2:30

    Food production collapsed so massively that a horrible famine occurred.

Who and where

People · 1

  • Drawing of Donald Trump

    Donald Trump 1

    President of the United States (2017–2021; since 2025)

    Photo 1

1. Photo: Daniel Torok, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons · Wikidata · redrawn in our house style (Donald Trump)

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