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Venezuela Faces Potential Economic Growth After Maduro's Removal
Venezuela may see economic growth following the U.S. removal of President Nicolás Maduro in January 2026. An interim government under Delcy Rodríguez shares power with the United States, focusing on reviving the oil and mining sectors. Challenges include poverty, corruption, and the need for institutional reforms to ensure stability.
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Venezuela could experience economic growth not seen in years after the U.S. military removed President Nicolás Maduro in January 2026. His deputy, Delcy Rodríguez, remains in place, leading an interim caretaker government in a power-sharing arrangement with Washington.
This setup has led to the release of some political prisoners, considerations of exiles returning, investor interest, and countries reopening embassies in Caracas. The country has avoided immediate chaos following Maduro's removal. However, issues persist including poverty, hunger, corruption, repression, illegal detentions, and malfunctioning public services.
Key figures from the previous regime remain in positions within the armed forces, intelligence services, ministries, state-owned companies, regulatory agencies, and courts.
The Trump administration prioritizes Venezuela's economy, particularly its oil industry, over democratic reforms. Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, but production declined from over three million barrels per day in 1998 to about 900,000 barrels per day in 2024 due to mismanagement, corruption, and political interference at Petróleos de Venezuela.
Sanctions imposed by the United States in 2017 and directly on Petróleos de Venezuela in 2019 contributed to the decline. An example of infrastructure issues is the 2012 explosion at the Amuay refinery, which killed 48 people, injured over 150, and damaged more than 1,600 homes; the refinery now operates at reduced capacity.
Restoring oil production could require over $100 billion in investment and at least a decade, according to Francisco Monaldi, an oil expert at Rice University. Venezuela ranks last in the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index among 143 countries, complicating revival efforts.
