DistantNews
Support us
🇳🇮 Nicaragua /Disasters & Emergencies

Earthquakes Reshape U.S.-Venezuela Relations Strategy

From Confidencial · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Earthquakes on June 24 have significantly altered the U.S. strategy for Venezuela's political and economic future.
  • The natural disaster has shifted priorities from stabilization to addressing the humanitarian emergency, complicating a previously planned three-phase strategy.
  • Experts believe the earthquakes make an organized political transition much more difficult and could increase U.S. responsibility for reconstruction.

Earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 have dramatically reshaped the United States' strategy for the country's political and economic future. What was once a plan focused on stabilization has been overshadowed by the humanitarian crisis caused by the seismic events.

The earthquakes interrupt that plan because they have generated one of the worst natural catastrophes that Venezuela has experienced in more than a century.

— Carolina Jiménez SandovalPresident of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), commenting on the impact of the earthquakes on U.S. strategy.

The U.S. administration's three-phase strategy, stabilization, recovery, and transition, faced doubts even before the earthquakes. Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged the plan has suffered a setback, though U.S. Chargé d'Affaires John Barrett maintained it remains in place, albeit looking "a bit different."

Carolina Jiménez Sandoval, president of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), described the earthquakes as one of Venezuela's worst natural disasters in over a century. She noted that the tremors disrupt Washington's intended path, making an "organized and gradual" political transition significantly harder. Phil Gunson, a senior analyst for the Andean region at the International Crisis Group, agreed that the plan is currently suspended, with all efforts needing to focus on years of reconstruction.

All energies of the government and civil society have to be focused on a reconstruction that will obviously take years.

— Phil GunsonSenior analyst for the Andean region at the International Crisis Group, discussing the immediate priorities after the earthquakes.

Even before the disaster, the U.S. plan was not progressing smoothly, facing doubts, criticism, and delays. The tragedy also revives questions about U.S. influence, particularly after past suggestions that Venezuela could become the 51st U.S. state. Gunson commented that if such a scenario were considered, the U.S. would bear significant responsibility for rescue and reconstruction. The U.S. dictates the timing and participants in its relationship with Venezuela, as seen in prior meetings arranged by Washington to discuss future elections.

Discussions are determined by Washington: what to do, when to negotiate, and who sits down to negotiate.

— Phil GunsonAnalyst describing the U.S. influence on the timing and participants in negotiations concerning Venezuela.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Confidencial in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog