Regime Change?

Oil, Drugs, and the “President of Peace”

Let me set the stage:

One country nationalizes its oil industry. Another country objects, insisting the resources rightfully belong to them. That second country then orchestrates a regime change. Tension, pressure, and military involvement dominate the relationship.

Sound familiar? It should—but this isn’t Venezuela today. This was Iran in 1953. We all remember how that turned out. Is this really what we want happening just across a narrow stretch of water, only 2,800 miles away, for no meaningful reason?

The Narrative vs. The Reality

Who truly believes the current aggression toward Venezuela is about drugs? To be honest, this is the same old story: it is about oil. Why would the U.S. station a massive naval fleet off the coast of Venezuela just to “fight the flow of drugs”?

It is particularly suspicious that the a recent seizure of an oil tanker and a series of strikes on small boats off the Venezuelan coast. While these strikes were justified as anti-drug operations, the administration has reportedly refused to release full footage or allow independent access to the sites.

Regardless of how a country functions or how it treats its people, it is not the place of the United States to dictate its leadership. Forced regime change is a violation of sovereignty; that choice belongs solely to the Venezuelan people.

Historical Overview of U.S. Regime Change

Scholars estimate that the United States has engaged in dozens of regime-change operations since the late 19th century. During the Cold War alone, studies count 70 attempts (64 covert and 6 overt). Between 1946 and 2000, the U.S. is documented as interfering in at least 81 foreign elections. Historians describe the total number of U.S. involvements—including coups, invasions, and election interference—as numbering well over 100 instances.

⚠️ Risks and Consequences

• Unintended Outcomes: Many operations led to long-term instability or civil war (e.g., Iran 1953, Libya 2011).
• Blowback: Strong anti-American sentiment often follows U.S. intervention.
• Credibility Issues: While framed as “promoting democracy,” these moves often prioritize strategic or economic interests—specifically oil reserves.

Annotated Timeline of U.S. Operations

• 1890s: Hawaii (1893) – Monarchy overthrown; annexed by the U.S. in 1898.
• 1900s–1930s: Panama (1903) – U.S.-backed independence from Colombia to secure Canal rights.
• 1950s: Iran (1953) – CIA coup restored the Shah; backlash led to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
• 1960s: Congo (1960) – Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba removed; Mobutu dictatorship installed.
• 1970s: Chile (1973) – U.S. covert support for a coup; Allende overthrown, Pinochet dictatorship began.
• 1980s: Grenada (1983) – U.S. invasion toppled a Marxist government.
• 2000s: Iraq (2003) – Saddam Hussein toppled; prolonged insurgency and civil war followed.
• 2010s: Libya (2011) – Gaddafi killed; country fractured into ongoing civil war.
• 2020s: Venezuela (2025) – Recent “total blockade” of oil tankers marks a significant escalation.

Key Themes Behind U.S. Policy

Factor	Description
Economic Interests	Securing access to resources (oil in Iran/Venezuela, fruit in Guatemala, sugar in Hawaii).
Political Strategy	Containing opposing ideologies or removing unfriendly regimes.
Humanitarian Framing	Using the language of democracy or human rights to justify intervention.

✅ Key Takeaway

The United States has pursued regime change more than a hundred times in its history. Whether through coups, election interference, sanctions, or naval blockades disguised as “counter-drug” operations, regime change has been a recurring—and controversial—feature of foreign policy.

The record speaks for itself: with rare exceptions like post-WWII Germany and Japan, these interventions have produced negative outcomes for both the target countries and the United States.

Venezuela poses no real threat to U.S. security. We must ask: Is this truly about democracy, or simply about oil? Nearly fifty years ago, President Jimmy Carter warned that America had become a nation of war and conflict. Decades later, his words still ring true. We continue sending lives into battles that serve political interests rather than the people. Let us hope Venezuela is not the next victim of this cycle.