What's Behind Trump's Venezuela Shift?
What’s really driving Washington’s new hard line on Caracas—is this a bold policy shift?
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Ariana Cubillos / AP
About the Episode
After months of diplomatic outreach, President Trump has abruptly shifted course on Venezuela—from covert CIA operations and expanded military activity in the Caribbean, to publicly backing Venezuela’s opposition leader. Is this a crackdown on drugs and migration, or part of a broader strategy reshaping US policy in South America? Economist Francisco Rodríguez explains the political, economic, and human stakes of Washington’s evolving approach.
About the Experts
Senior Research Fellow, Center for Economic and Policy Research
Dr. Francisco Rodríguez is a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Economic and Policy Research and a Professor at the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs.
President & Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Dr. Leslie Vinjamuri joined the Council in 2025 as the president and chief executive officer, after previously serving as director of the US and the Americas program at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, known as Chatham House, in London. She brings nearly 30 years of experience working at the intersection of international affairs, research, policy, and public engagement.