History of Venezuela in Timeline

Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country located on the northern coast of South America. It includes a continental landmass and islands in the Caribbean Sea, covering an area of 912,050 km2. Its population is estimated at 31.8 million in 2025. Caracas is its capital and largest city. Venezuela borders the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean to the north, Colombia to the west, Brazil to the south, Trinidad and Tobago to the northeast and Guyana to the east. It comprises 23 states, a Capital District, and federal dependencies. Venezuela is highly urbanized, with most of its population residing in the northern cities and the capital.

1902: Venezuela crisis

In 1902, the Venezuela crisis of 1902–1903 began, in which Britain, Germany and Italy imposed a naval blockade.

1903: Venezuela crisis

In 1903, the Venezuela crisis of 1902–1903 was resolved by international arbitration at the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

1908: Dispute with the Netherlands

In 1908, another dispute broke out with the Netherlands. It was resolved when Castro left for medical treatment in Germany and was promptly overthrown by Juan Vicente Gómez.

1923: Germany Comparison

The projection of 1,000,000 percent inflation rate in Venezuela for 2018 was compared to that in Germany in 1923.

1935: Highest GDP

By 1935, Venezuela's per capita gross domestic product was Latin America's highest, due to the discovery of massive oil deposits.

1935: Gómez Overthrow

In 1935, Juan Vicente Gómez ruled until his death.

1941: Angarita's Reforms

From 1941, Isaías Medina Angarita relaxed the gomecista system and granted a range of reforms, including the legalization of all political parties.

1943: New government introduced 50/50 split in profits

In 1943, Venezuela's new government introduced a 50/50 split in profits between the government and the oil industry.

1945: Civilian-Military Coup

In 1945, a civilian-military coup overthrew Angarita and ushered in a period of democratic rule under the Democratic Action party.

1945: Foundation of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League

In 1945, the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League was founded, and baseball became the nation's most popular sport.

1947: Venezuelan presidential election

Rómulo Gallegos won the 1947 Venezuelan presidential election, which were the first free and fair elections in Venezuela.

1948: Venezuelan coup d'état

In 1948, Gallegos was overthrown by a military junta led by Luis Felipe Llovera Páez, Marcos Pérez Jiménez, and Carlos Delgado Chalbaud, in the 1948 Venezuelan coup d'état.

1948: Military Junta

In 1948, a military junta was in power in Venezuela.

1950: Death of Chalbaud

In 1950, Chalbaud died in a bungled kidnapping.

1950: Venezuela population in 1950

In 1950, Venezuela's population was 5,482,000.

1952: Jiménez installed as president

In 1952, the junta ignored the presidential election results and Jiménez was installed as president.

1953: Name Change

In 1953, the official name of Venezuela changed to República de Venezuela.

January 1958: Jiménez Forced Out

On January 23, 1958, Jiménez was forced out of power in Venezuela. The Puntofijo Pact power-sharing agreement was signed by three major political parties.

1958: Series of Democratic Governments

From 1958, Venezuela had a series of democratic governments after a period of military dictatorships, characterized by economic prosperity.

1959: Guerrilla Movements

During the presidency of Rómulo Betancourt (1959–64), substantial guerilla movements occurred.

1959: Presidential Decree Powers

Since 1959, six Venezuelan presidents have been granted the ability to rule by decree in specified policy areas.

1960: Attack on Betancourt

In 1960, Betancourt suffered an attack planned by the Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo.

1960: Creation of OPEC

In 1960, Hydrocarbons Minister Juan Pablo Pérez Alfonso led the creation of OPEC, an oil-producing countries consortium aiming to support the price of oil.

1962: Destabilization Attempts

In 1962, leftists tried to destabilize the military corps with failed revolts.

1964: Guerrilla Movements

During the presidency of Raúl Leoni (1964–69), substantial guerilla movements occurred.

1966: Signing of the Geneva Agreement

In 1966, the British and Venezuelan governments signed the Geneva Agreement to resolve the conflict over the "Guayana Esequiba" territory peacefully.

1968: Caldera Wins Election

In 1968, Caldera had won the election for COPEI, the first time a party other than AD took the presidency through a democratic election.

1969: Establishment of administrative regions

In 1969, Venezuela's states were grouped into nine administrative regions by presidential decree.

1969: Rafael Caldera's First Presidency

In 1969, most guerilla movements laid down their arms under Rafael Caldera's first presidency (1969–74).

1970: Port of Spain Protocol

In 1970, the Port of Spain Protocol set a deadline to resolve the "Guayana Esequiba" issue, but it was unsuccessful.

1973: Venezuela voted to nationalize its oil industry outright

In 1973, Venezuela voted to nationalize its oil industry outright, effective 1 January 1976, with Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) taking over.

1973: Venezuelan presidential election

The 1973 Venezuelan presidential election of Carlos Andrés Pérez coincided with an oil crisis, in which Venezuela's income exploded as oil prices soared.

January 1976: Nationalization of oil industry effective

On January 1, 1976, Venezuela's nationalization of the oil industry became effective, with Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) taking over.

1976: Oil Industries Nationalized

In 1976, Venezuela's oil industries were nationalized leading to massive increases in public spending but also increases in external debts.

1982: Chavez Promised to Depose Governments

In 1982, Hugo Chávez promised to depose the bipartisanship governments.

1983: Devaluation of Currency

In 1983, the government started to devalue the currency to face its financial obligations, leading to standards of living falling dramatically.

1983: Caracas Metro operating since 1983

The Caracas Metro has been operating since 1983 in Venezuela.

1989: Caracazo Riots

In 1989, Venezuela experienced the deadly Caracazo riots due to economic shocks and widespread social unrest.

1990: Deforestation Occurred.

Between 1990 and 2005, Venezuela officially lost 8.3% of its forest cover, which is about 4.3 million ha.

February 1992: Coup Attempt

In February 1992, Hugo Chávez led a coup attempt, using the growing anger at economic austerity measures to justify it.

1992: Attempted Coups

In 1992, Venezuela saw two attempted coups as a result of major political crises.

1992: Olympics tournament

The Olympics tournament which began from 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

1993: Pérez Impeached

In 1993, Pérez was impeached under embezzlement charges, leading to the interim presidency of Ramón José Velásquez.

1993: Impeachment of a President

In 1993, a president of Venezuela was impeached for embezzlement of public funds.

March 1994: Chávez Pardoned

In March 1994, Coup leader Chávez was pardoned by President Rafael Caldera, with a clean slate and his political rights reinstated.

1994: Major banking crisis

In 1994, Venezuela experienced a major banking crisis.

1995: Start of Corruption Perceptions Index

Since the start of the Corruption Perceptions Index in 1995, Venezuela has been consistently ranked as one of the most corrupt countries.

1996: Peak of inflation

In 1996, Venezuela's inflation peaked at 100%.

1997: Fifth Republic Movement Founded

In 1997, Chávez founded the Fifth Republic Movement.

1998: Chávez Elected

In 1998, Chávez was elected president, which also launched the Bolivarian Revolution.

January 1999: Amnesty granted for offenses committed since January 1999

In January 1999, the first law passed by the opposition granted amnesty from prosecution for offenses committed since January 1999, including participation in the 2002 coup attempt.

1999: Fifth Republic of Venezuela

Following Chávez's election, Venezuela developed into a dominant-party system.

1999: Chávez Remained President

From 1999 until his death in 2013, Chávez maintained the presidency.

1999: New Constitution Ratified

In 1999, a new Constitution of Venezuela was written and ratified during the Constituent Assembly.

1999: Political inclusion for Indigenous peoples

In 1999, the constitution recognized the multi-ethnic, pluri-cultural, and multilingual character of Venezuela and included a chapter devoted to indigenous peoples' rights, which opened up spaces for their political inclusion at national and local level.

1999: Name Change

In 1999, the official name of Venezuela changed to Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

1999: Constituent Assembly

In 1999, there was a constituent assembly to write a new constitution as part of the Bolivarian Revolution.

1999: Venezuelans leaving the country

Since 1999, many Venezuelans started to leave the country.

1999: Jewish community

The Jewish community has shrunk in recent years from 22,000 in 1999 to less than 7,000 in 2015.

1999: Adoption of the Constitution

Venezuela has been considered the Bolivarian Republic following the adoption of the Constitution of 1999.

September 2000: Agreement to Millennium Development Goals

In September 2000, Venezuela and 188 other nations agreed to the Millennium Development Goals.

2000: Chávez Won Elections

In 2000, Chávez won the elections.

2001: Economy boost due to oil price recovery

After 2001, the recovery of oil prices boosted the Venezuelan economy and facilitated social spending.

2001: Censo poblacional del Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas

In 2001, the National Institute of Statistics conducted a population census, serving as a point of comparison for the 2011 census, which showed a progressive increase in indigenous populations.

2001: Law placed limits on foreign investment

In 2001, under Hugo Chávez, a law was enacted that placed limits on foreign investment in Venezuela.

December 2002: National strike involving PDVSA

In December 2002, PDVSA played a key role in the national strike.

December 2002: National Strike

In December 2002, a national strike began, lasting until February 2003, including a strike/lockout in the state oil company PDVSA.

2002: Poverty Rate

From 2002 to 2011, The poverty rate declined from 48.6% to 29.5%.

2002: Amnesty granted for participation in the 2002 coup attempt.

In 2002, a law passed by the opposition granted amnesty from prosecution for offenses committed since January 1999, including participation in the 2002 coup attempt.

2002: Worsening of relations with the United States

In 2002, relations between Venezuela and the United States worsened after the U.S. government recognized the short-lived interim presidency of Pedro Carmona during a coup attempt.

February 2003: Dismissal of PDVSA workers

As a result of the national strike, around 40% of PDVSA's workforce, approximately 18,000 workers, were dismissed in February 2003.

February 2003: National Strike Ended

In February 2003, a national strike ended that had started in December 2002, including a strike/lockout in the state oil company PDVSA.

2003: Economy Growth

From 2003 to 2010, The economy grew by 95%.

2003: Land Conservation Management

In 2003, 70% of Venezuela's land was under conservation management in over 200 protected areas, including 43 national parks.

2003: Implementation of currency controls

In 2003, the Venezuelan government implemented currency controls after capital flight led to a devaluation of the currency.

2003: Involvement in drug trafficking

In the period 2003, Venezuela was significantly involved in drug trafficking, with Colombian cocaine and other drugs transiting towards the United States and Europe.

2004: Recall Referendum

In 2004, Chávez survived a recall referendum.

2004: Sewage treatment plants

In 2004, Venezuela had 150 sewage treatment plants.

2005: Deforestation Occurred.

Between 1990 and 2005, Venezuela officially lost 8.3% of its forest cover, which is about 4.3 million ha.

2005: School enrollment rate

In 2005, the net primary school enrollment rate in Venezuela was at 91% and the net secondary school enrollment rate was at 63%.

December 2006: Chávez Elected

In December 2006, Chávez was elected for another term.

2006: Improvement in Human Development Index

From 2006 to 2011, Venezuela moved up seven spots on the Human Development Index.

2006: PDVSA's External Debt Increased

From 2006 to 2013, PDVSA's external debt increased from $3 billion to $35 billion.

2006: Chávez Won Elections

In 2006, Chávez won the elections.

2006: Child malnutrition rate

In 2006, child malnutrition was 17% in Venezuela.

2006: Manufacturing contribution to GDP

In 2006, manufacturing contributed 17% of GDP in Venezuela.

2006: Venezuela Rated as Hybrid Regime

In 2006, the Economist Intelligence Unit rated Venezuela as a hybrid regime and the third least democratic regime in Latin America on the Democracy Index.

2006: Incorporation of Oficina Nacional Antidrogas

In 2006, the Oficina Nacional Antidrogas was incorporated into the office of the vice-president of Venezuela.

2007: Refugee and asylum seekers from Colombia

According to the World Refugee Survey 2008, Venezuela hosted a population of refugee and asylum seekers from Colombia numbering 252,200 in 2007.

2007: United Socialist Party Founded

In 2007, Chávez founded the United Socialist Party of Venezuela.

2007: Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra Concerts

The Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra hosted concerts at the 2007 London Proms, and has received several honors.

2008: DNA study composition

According to an autosomal DNA study conducted in 2008 by the University of Brasília, the composition of Venezuela's population is 60.60% European, 23% Indigenous, and 16.30% African.

2008: World Refugee Survey 2008

According to the World Refugee Survey 2008, published by the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Venezuela hosted a population of refugee and asylum seekers from Colombia numbering 252,200 in 2007.

2008: Incorporation of soldiers into the Armed Reserve

As of 2008, an additional 600,000 soldiers were incorporated into a new branch of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces, known as the Armed Reserve.

2008: Adult literacy rate

In 2008, 95.2% of the adult population in Venezuela was literate.

2008: Cesar Baena in Nordic Skiing

In 2008, Cesar Baena had represented Venezuela in Nordic Skiing.

2008: Crime as top voter concern

In 2008, polls indicated that crime was the number one concern for voters in Venezuela.

2008: US Sanctions Imposed

In 2008, the first US sanctions against Venezuelan officials were imposed.

2008: Involvement in drug trafficking

In the period until 2008, Venezuelan authorities seized the fifth-largest total quantity of cocaine in the world.

February 2009: Presidential Re-election Allowed

As of February 2009, a president in Venezuela may be re-elected an unlimited number of times.

December 2009: Supreme Court President Remarks on Division of Powers

In December 2009, Supreme Court president Luisa Estela Morales said that Venezuela had moved away from "a rigid division of powers" toward a system characterized by "intense coordination" between the branches of government.

2009: FIS Cross Country Ski World Cup

In 2009, Cesar Baena competed in a FIS Cross Country Ski World Cup on Düsseldorf as the first South American skier.

2009: Crude oil reserves

In 2009, Venezuela had significant crude oil reserves, with major deposits located around Lake Maracaibo, the Gulf of Venezuela, and the Orinoco Basin.

2010: Economy Growth

From 2003 to 2010, The economy grew by 95%.

2010: Crude oil reserves proven

In 2010, Venezuela proved an additional 40.4% in crude oil reserves compared to 2009, surpassing Saudi Arabia as the country with the largest reserves.

2010: Hindus in Venezuela

In 2010, there were 580 Hindus in Venezuela according to the Association of Religion Data Archives.

2010: Corruption Perceptions Index Ranking

The 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Venezuela at number 164 out of 178 countries in government transparency.

November 2011: Repatriation of gold bullion

In November 2011, the first of US$11 billion of repatriated gold bullion arrived in Caracas.

2011: National Assembly seats.

For the 2011–2016 period, the number of seats is 165.

2011: Improvement in Human Development Index

From 2006 to 2011, Venezuela moved up seven spots on the Human Development Index, to 73 out of 187. The poverty rate declined from 48.6% to 29.5%.

2011: Population by Religion

In 2011, 88% of the population in Venezuela was Christian, primarily Roman Catholic (71%).

2011: Censo poblacional del Instituto Nacional de Estadísticas

In 2011, a population census conducted by the National Institute of Statistics revealed a progressive increase in indigenous populations compared to the 2001 census.

2011: Illegal immigrants

In 2011, it was estimated that between 500,000 and one million illegal immigrants were living in Venezuela.

2011: Census identifies population ancestry

In the 2011 census in Venezuela, Venezuelans were asked to identify themselves according to their customs and ancestry. The majority claimed to be moreno or white—51.6% and 43.6%, respectively.

October 2012: Chavez elected to a third term

In October 2012, Chavez was elected to a third term, but was not sworn in due to medical complications.

2012: Chávez Won Elections

In 2012, Chávez won the elections.

2012: Indigenous population estimate

In 2012, Venezuela's Indigenous population was estimated at 500 thousand people (2.8% of the total), distributed among 40 Indigenous peoples.

2012: Basketball World Olympic Qualifying Tournament

Venezuela hosted the 2012 Basketball World Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

March 2013: Chavez's Death

On 5 March 2013, Chavez's death was officially announced.

April 2013: Maduro Became President

On 14 April 2013, Maduro became president of Venezuela after winning the presidential election with 51% of the vote.

2013: Medical graduates left Venezuela

According to Claudio Bifano, president of the Venezuelan Academy of Physical, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, more than half of all medical graduates had left Venezuela in 2013.

2013: Chávez Death

From 1999 until his death in 2013, Chávez maintained the presidency.

2013: PDVSA's External Debt Increased

From 2006 to 2013, PDVSA's external debt increased from $3 billion to $35 billion.

2013: Forced dollar reserves add

In 2013 the Venezuelan government was forced to add the dollar reserves of state-owned companies to those of the national bank to reassure the international bond market.

2013: Maduro Appointed Vice President

In 2013, Nicolás Maduro was picked by Chavez as his successor, appointing him vice president.

2013: Disputed Presidential Election

In 2013, Venezuela's presidential election was widely disputed, leading to opposition candidates being arrested or exiled.

2013: High homicide rate

In 2013, the homicide rate in Venezuela was approximately 79 per 100,000 people, which was one of the world's highest.

2013: Currency devaluation and shortages

In early 2013, Venezuela devalued its currency due to shortages of necessities such as toilet paper, milk, and flour.

2013: Infant mortality rate

To compare: The U.S. infant mortality rate was 6 deaths per 1,000 births in 2013.

2013: FIBA Basketball Americas Championship

Venezuela hosted the 2013 FIBA Basketball Americas Championship, which took place in the Poliedro de Caracas.

2013: Decline in electricity generation

Venezuela's electricity sector, managed by CORPOELEC, experienced a decline, reducing generation from 120 billion kWh in 2013 to 95 billion kWh in 2021.

February 2014: Venezuelan Protests Begin

In February 2014, large-scale protests began in Venezuela due to high crime levels, corruption, hyperinflation, and scarcity of basic goods. The unrest involved clashes between Chavistas and opposition protesters, resulting in fatalities and arrests of opposition leaders like Leopoldo López.

December 2014: Abandoned Barrio Adentro establishments

As of December 2014, an estimated 80% of Barrio Adentro establishments were abandoned.

2014: Study on Venezuelans leaving the country

A 2014 study found that over 1.5 million Venezuelans, or 4% to 6% of the country's population, had left Venezuela since 1999.

2014: Foreign currency income lost between 2014 and 2020.

Between 2014 and 2020, Venezuela lost 99% of its foreign currency income due to the impact of sanctions, leading to the implementation of anti-blockade policies.

2014: Infant mortality rate

In 2014, infant mortality in Venezuela was 19 deaths per 1,000 births.

2014: Start of protests amid economic crisis

In 2014, protests began in Venezuela amid hyperinflation, civil unrest, and shortages. The government blamed the protests on fascists, opposition leaders, capitalism and foreign influence.

2014: World Justice Project ranking

In 2014, the World Justice Project ranked Venezuela 99th out of 99 countries surveyed in its Rule of Law Index.

2014: Poverty Increase

In mid- to late 2014, poverty began to rapidly increase in Venezuela.

December 2015: Fraudulent designation of judges

In December 2015, immediately after the election, judges were fraudulently designated, giving Maduro control of the judiciary power.

2015: Rise in homicide rate

By 2015, Venezuela's homicide rate had risen to 90 per 100,000.

2015: Venezuela declared a national security threat by the U.S.

In 2015, Venezuela was declared a national security threat by U.S. President Barack Obama, leading to strengthened ties with anti-West regimes.

2015: Venezuela Does Not Enter Climate Change Contribution

In 2015, Venezuela was one of the few countries that did not enter a nationally determined contribution at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

2015: Parliamentary elections

In 2015, parliamentary elections were held to elect 164 deputies and three indigenous representatives of the National Assembly.

2015: Opposition Gains Majority in Venezuelan Parliamentary Election

In 2015, the Venezuelan opposition secured a two-thirds majority in the parliamentary election. They aimed to reverse Chavez-era laws, secure amnesty for imprisoned leaders, and consider a recall campaign against Maduro.

2015: Opposition Took Control of the National Assembly

In 2015, the opposition took control of the National Assembly, leading to the Maduro-aligned Supreme Tribunal overturning National Assembly decisions.

2015: Jewish community

The Jewish community has shrunk in recent years from 22,000 in 1999 to less than 7,000 in 2015.

January 2016: Maduro approves economic emergency decree

In January 2016, President Maduro approved an unconstitutional economic emergency decree, concentrating legislative and executive powers in himself.

January 2016: Maduro Declares Economic Emergency

In January 2016, President Maduro declared an "economic emergency" in Venezuela, revealing the extent of the economic crisis and expanding his presidential powers. The government established committees to oversee food distribution.

April 2016: Rolling blackouts and reduced workweek

In April 2016, the Maduro government announced rolling blackouts and reduced the government workweek to only Monday and Tuesday due to a hydroelectricity shortage.

May 2016: Suspension of constitutional guarantees

In May 2016, constitutional guarantees were suspended when Maduro extended the economic emergency decree and declared a state of emergency, violating the constitution.

July 2016: Colombian Border Crossings Temporarily Opened

In July 2016, Colombian border crossings were temporarily opened to allow Venezuelans to purchase food and basic health items due to shortages in Venezuela.

September 2016: Study Indicates Food Waste Consumption

In September 2016, a study indicated that 15% of Venezuelans were consuming "food waste discarded by commercial establishments" due to food scarcity.

October 2016: 200 Prison Riots Occurred

By October 2016, 200 prison riots had occurred in Venezuela, reflecting the escalating crisis within the country's penal system.

2016: Venezuelan security forces killed over 19,000 people between 2016 and 2019.

Between 2016 and 2019, Venezuela's security forces killed over 19,000 people for alleged "resistance to authority".

2016: Corruption Perceptions Index Ranking

By 2016, Venezuela's ranking on the Corruption Perceptions Index had increased to 166 out of 178.

2016: National Assembly seats.

For the 2011–2016 period, the number of seats is 165.

2016: Per capita GDP

In 2016, Venezuela's per capita GDP was estimated at US$15,100, ranking 109th in the world.

2016: Economic depression

In 2016, consumer prices increased 800%, and the Venezuelan economy declined by 18.6%, entering an economic depression.

March 2017: Supreme Court takes over law-making powers

In March 2017, the Venezuelan Supreme Court took over law-making powers from the National Assembly, but reversed this decision the following day.

March 2017: Gasoline shortages

In March 2017, there were shortages of gasoline in some regions of Venezuela.

August 2017: Constituent National Assembly Elected

In August 2017, the 2017 Constituent National Assembly was elected in Venezuela and promptly stripped the National Assembly of its powers, raising concerns about an emerging dictatorship.

August 2017: US Imposes Economic Sanctions

In August 2017, the Trump administration imposed additional economic sanctions against PDVSA and Venezuelan officials. These sanctions disallowed US citizens from buying Venezuelan debt and blocked dividend payments to US nationals, crippling PDVSA finances.

December 2017: Opposition Parties Barred from Presidential Vote

In December 2017, President Maduro declared that opposition parties would be barred from participating in the following year's presidential vote after they boycotted mayoral polls, further cementing concerns of a dictatorship.

2017: Criticism of Venezuela's human rights record

In 2017, Human Rights Watch noted that the Chavez and Maduro governments increasingly concentrated power, eroded human rights protections, and repressed critics.

2017: Announcement of withdrawal from the OAS

In 2017, Venezuela announced its intention to withdraw from the Organization of American States (OAS).

2017: Venezuela Downgraded to Authoritarian Regime

In 2017, the Democracy Index downgraded Venezuela to an authoritarian regime, citing increasingly dictatorial behaviors by the Maduro government.

2017: Diversion of arms to paramilitary groups

In 2017, the Financial Times noted that some of the arms procured by the Venezuelan government over the previous two decades had been diverted to paramilitary civilian groups and criminal syndicates.

2017: Negative economic outlook

In 2017, the economic outlook for Venezuela was deemed negative by most bond-rating services.

2018: Students dropped out of school nationwide

By 2018, 58% of students had dropped out of school nationwide in Venezuela.

2018: Projected hyperinflation rate

For 2018, an inflation rate of 1,000,000 percent was projected for Venezuela.

2018: Lack of sanitation

In 2018, 32% of Venezuelans lacked adequate sanitation, primarily those living in rural areas.

2018: Maduro Wins Disputed Election

In 2018, Maduro won the election with 68% of the vote. The result was challenged by several countries, including the US, which deemed it fraudulent and recognized Juan Guaidó as president.

2018: Disputed Presidential Election

In 2018, Venezuela's presidential election was widely disputed, leading to opposition candidates being arrested or exiled.

2018: Additional US Sanctions Imposed

In 2018, another round of sanctions by the Trump administration amounted to an embargo on gold, oil, finance, defense and other public and private entities in Venezuela as part of the "maximum pressure" strategy.

2018: Enforced Disappearances Occurred.

In 2018, the report documented enforced disappearances that occurred between 2018 and 2019, with 724 cases reported. The report also highlighted extrajudicial killings by security forces.

August 2019: Trump Imposes Economic Embargo

In August 2019, the Trump administration imposed an economic embargo against Venezuela, freezing more than $7 billion in Venezuelan assets and embargoing Venezuelan petroleum. The EU and Canada also sanctioned Venezuela.

2019: Nationwide blackout

In 2019, Venezuela experienced a nationwide blackout, highlighting the worsening power outages.

2019: Embargo on Gold, Oil, Finance, Defense and other entities.

In 2019, another round of sanctions by the Trump administration amounted to an embargo on gold, oil, finance, defense and other public and private entities in Venezuela as part of the "maximum pressure" strategy.

2019: Enforced Disappearances Occurred.

In 2019, the report documented enforced disappearances that occurred between 2018 and 2019, with 724 cases reported. The report also highlighted extrajudicial killings by security forces.

March 2020: US Indicts Maduro on Drug Trafficking Charges

In March 2020, the US Department of Justice indicted President Maduro and other Venezuelan officials on charges of drug trafficking, narcoterrorism, and corruption.

May 2020: Operation Gideon Attempted

In May 2020, Venezuelan dissidents, backed by Silvercorp USA, launched "Operation Gideon," an attempt to infiltrate Venezuela by sea and overthrow President Maduro.

June 2020: Report Documents Enforced Disappearances

In June 2020, a report documented enforced disappearances in Venezuela that occurred between 2018 and 2019, with 724 cases reported. The report also highlighted extrajudicial killings by security forces.

2020: Foreign currency income lost between 2014 and 2020.

Between 2014 and 2020, Venezuela lost 99% of its foreign currency income due to the impact of sanctions, leading to the implementation of anti-blockade policies.

2021: Total population

According to the 2022 revision, the total population of Venezuela was 28,199,867 in 2021.

2021: Sanctions Impact Vaccine Access

In 2021, American and European financial institutions blocked Venezuela's payments to Covax, hindering the country's ability to acquire COVID-19 vaccines. Sanctions also prevented Venezuela from obtaining oil dilutants.

2021: Electricity sector relies on hydroelectricity

In 2021, Venezuela's electricity sector relied on hydroelectricity for 64% of its generation, with natural gas and petroleum contributing 25% and 11% respectively.

2021: Obesity prevalence

In 2021, obesity was prevalent in approximately 30% of the adult population in Venezuela.

2022: Revision of the World Population Prospects

According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects the total population was 28,199,867 in 2021

2022: Economy reliance on remittances

As of 2022, at least 5% of Venezuela's economy relied on remittances.

2022: Increase in power outages

From 2021 to 2022, Venezuela saw a 22% increase in power outages.

February 2024: UN special rapporteur visit

In February 2024, a UN special rapporteur visited Venezuela.

2024: Economic decline and humanitarian crisis

As of 2024, Venezuela has seen its GDP fall by 80 percent in less than a decade, leading to a mass exodus and severe shortages of essential services.

2024: Disputed Presidential Election

In 2024, Maduro ran for a third term in the presidential election, opposed by Edmundo González Urrutia. The election results, which gave Maduro a narrow victory, were widely disputed by world leaders and the opposition, leading to protests.

2024: Venezuela Rated as Electoral Autocracy

In 2024, the Regimes of the World index rated Venezuela as an electoral autocracy.

2025: Venezuelan refugees and migrants living worldwide

By late 2025, approximately 7.9 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants were reported to be living worldwide.

2025: Population Estimated

In 2025, Venezuela's population was estimated to be 31.8 million.

2025: Global Innovation Index Ranking

Venezuela was ranked 136th out of 139 ranks in the Global Innovation Index in 2025.

January 2026: United States Captured President Nicolás Maduro

In January 2026, the United States captured President Nicolás Maduro and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as acting president.

January 2026: Venezuela Backs Opening Oil Sector to Private Investors

On 23 January 2026, Venezuelan lawmakers gave their initial backing to open the oil sector to private investors, paving the way for the return of US energy companies.

January 2026: US Launches Airstrikes in Venezuela

In January 2026, the US launched airstrikes across the coastline of Venezuela as part of Operation Southern Spear. President Trump announced the capture of Maduro, but the government, led by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, remained in control as of January 4, 2026.