Why the West Wanted Venezuela Destroyed | A History Documentary

Discover the ruthless history of oil, empire, and the twenty-year campaign that led to the invasion of a sovereign nation in this documentary episode. For those seeking a comprehensive breakdown of modern economic warfare, the history of US intervention in Latin America, or an examination of how the world’s largest oil reserves became a curse, this story is for you.

DISCLAIMER: I began researching and writing this documentary weeks ago in response to escalating rhetoric from the Trump administration. While the speed of the January 3rd invasion shocked everyone, I have spent the last 48 hours rushing to finish this production to provide immediate historical context for these tragic and illegal events.History After Dark is entirely viewer-funded. Supp

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For a deeper understanding, this narrative draws upon Anya Parampil’s "Corporate Coup: Venezuela and the End of US Empire," Justin Podur & Joe Emersberger’s "Extraordinary Threat: The U.S. Empire, the Media, and Twenty Years of Coup Attempts in Venezuela," and Matt Wilde's "A Blessing and a Curse: Oil, Politics, and Morality in Bolivarian Venezuela."

In this episode episode, we dissect the systematic dismantling of Venezuela, a process that transformed a wealthy oil state into a besieged pariah and culminated in the US military operation currently unfolding in Caracas. The narrative begins with the arrest of Nicolás Maduro on January 3rd, 2026, before rewinding to understand the path to this moment. It traces the "Curse of Black Gold," tracking how Venezuelan crude fuelled the Allied victory in World War II and how foreign corporations secured a grip on the nation's wealth. We then cover the rise of Hugo Chávez and the "Original Sin" of the 2002 coup, following the evolution of regime change tactics – from USAID-funded "student labs" to the cyber warfare that plunged the country into darkness. Also examined are the rise and fall of Juan Guaidó’s shadow government, the legal battles over Citgo, and the seizure of gold in the Bank of England. Finally, the documentary assesses the failure of the "medieval siege" that made direct intervention the empire's last resort.

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 Introduction

00:02:54 The Curse of Black Gold

00:11:33 The Original Sin – The 2002 Coup

00:19:08 Manufacturing Dissent – The Student Lab

00:26:36 The Medieval Siege Begins

00:34:18 The Shadow President

00:39:51 The Trojan Horse of Cúcuta

00:45:53 Darkness at Noon – The Cyber War

00:51:10 The April 30 Putsch – The Blue Armbands

00:57:35 The Embassy Siege

01:03:27 The Great Citgo Robbery

01:10:37 The Gold Wars

01:17:16 Operation Gideon – The Silver Screen Invasion

01:23:42 Diplomatic Trench Warfare

01:30:44 The Multipolar Lifeline

01:37:25 The End of Empire

01:43:24 Epilogue: The Return of the Monroe Doctrine

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