Perils of regime change in Venezuela and beyond

The Trump administration is ramping up pressure on Venezuela. Yet despite years of sanctions and other measures, Washington has little to show for its efforts to coerce Venezuela into selecting a new leader or better aligning with U.S. interests and preferences. Trump’s approach—centered on isolating the Maduro regime—raises questions about whether the U.S. is repeating the mistakes of previous interventions in Latin America and the Middle East.

Should the U.S. consider regime change in Caracas? What outcomes could military strikes or covert action realistically achieve? What unintended consequences might follow an effort—successful or not—to topple President Maduro?

Join Defense Priorities for a discussion on the current state of U.S.-Venezuela relations, as well as the goals and risks of a coercive strategy, featuring Chris McCallion, Defense Priorities Fellow; Alexander Downes, Defense Priorities Non-Resident Fellow; Lindsey O’Rourke, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Boston College; and moderator Dan DePetris, Defense Priorities Fellow.