SESSION 2:
This session centers on the structural foundations of Venezuela’s crisis. We aim to move beyond personalities and headlines to examine how political institutions eroded, power consolidated, oil, illicit economies, and regional dynamics reshaped incentives and how U.S. domestic politics affect both policy choices and perception. The goal is to surface the system as it actually functions—not as external actors might wish it to function.
This session is part of a three-part learning series entitled:
Venezuela: Power, Legitimacy, and the Limits of Force
This learning series is designed to ground conversations about Venezuela in regional reality, historical experience, and the rule of law. Rather than responding to events in isolation, the series aims to equip participants with the political, economic, legal, and strategic context needed to assess U.S. actions responsibly, particularly where military force, governance, and resource interests intersect. The discussion is intended to be substantive, experience-driven, but accessible, and where appropriate, broadly applicable to Venezuela and beyond.
Our overarching objective across the three sessions is to equip participants with:
- An understanding of what led to Venezuela’s current crisis
- Key lessons from what history teaches about intervention and nation-building
- A deeper understanding of what U.S. constitutional and international law require in moments of crisis
This reflects Truman’s core belief that national security is strongest when power is exercised with legitimacy, restraint, and accountability.
