By, Jesús Daniel Romero, Co-Founder, Senior Fellow, MSI² Introduction: On May 27, 2025, the United States allowed Chevron’s license to operate in Venezuela to expire, signaling a significant policy shift after months of internal debate within the Trump administration. The decision halts one of the last remaining...
By, Jesús Daniel Romero, Co-Founder, Senior Fellow, MSI² In the realm of high-stakes diplomacy, credibility, discipline, and strategic depth are essential. As the Trump administration re-engages with Latin America, an internal rift threatens U.S. strategic coherence. Special Envoy Richard Grenell’s recent actions in Venezuela have not only...
By, Jesús Daniel Romero, Co-Founder and Senior Fellow, MSI² & William Acosta, SME Summary In a bold display of maritime deception, the Maduro regime has ramped up its use of so-called “zombie tankers” to export oil in violation of U.S. sanctions. These ghost ships—operating under stolen identities, falsified...
By, Jesús Daniel Romero, Co-Founder and Senior Fellow, MSI² The sanctions imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration on Venezuela’s oil industry—intensified since 2017 and further tightened in 2025—have deepened the country’s economic, productive, and geopolitical challenges. These measures, which include the revocation of licenses for companies such as...
By, Jesús Daniel Romero, Co-Founder and Senior Fellow, MSI² The Chavista-Madurista regime is facing one of its most critical phases since the 2014 oil collapse. Despite multiple attempts to restructure its authoritarian, extractivist model, Venezuela is rapidly approaching an irreversible economic breaking point. We are witnessing the perfect...
By, Jesús Daniel Romero, Co-Founder and Senior Fellow, MSI2 For years, the Atlantic Council has shaped U.S. foreign policy discourse on Venezuela, often favoring a diplomatic, engagement-driven approach over the Trump administration’s hardline “maximum pressure” stance. Yet, by March 2025, recent publications suggest a subtle pivot, with the...
By, William Acosta, SME, MSI2 Jesús Daniel Romero, Senior Fellow, MSI2 The recent departure of Chevron from Venezuela, along with the revocation of oil concessions by the Biden administration, marks a significant shift in Latin America’s energy landscape. This article examines the strategic implications of this decision, not...
By, William Acosta, SME, MSI2 Jesús Daniel Romero, Senior Fellow, MSI2 As crude oil prices drop below $70 per barrel and U.S. tariffs reshape North American energy flows, Venezuela's weakened oil industry presents both a challenge and an opportunity for U.S. leadership in Latin America. With China deepening...