Oil has defined US-Venezuela relations for a century, State Department records show
Source Summary
A declassified 1950 US State Department memo reveals that petroleum supply has been the central objective driving American policy toward Venezuela throughout the relationship. The document states explicitly that all US policies toward Venezuela are affected by the goal of securing adequate oil supplies for the United States. The article examines how Washington's relationship with Caracas has shifted from cordial to what critics describe as predatory.
Why it matters
The declassified memo provides documentary evidence that petroleum security, not democratic values or humanitarian concerns, has been the primary driver of US foreign policy toward Venezuela for decades.
