Why Venezuela? How the US Tries to Undermine Democracy and Sovereignty in Latin America

by Zoë Alexandra (Editor)

Why Venezuela? is a collection of essays from bold thinkers—journalists, organizers, scholars—from across the region. Covering all fronts, these essays take on the task of answering the titular question, interrogating history in order to understand how the US tries to undermine democracy and sovereignty in Latin America, with its particular fixation on Venezuela. The essays critique the US and opposition’s roles in undermining this revolution, exposing the media’s distortions and the roots of the right wing in Venezuela. They also contextualize the grassroots character of the Revolution and the broad impact that it has had on the Latin American region—a region the US has long sought to control.

Why Venezuela? Answering this question is crucial for all those seeking liberation from US imperialism, around the world and in the US. Get to the root of how Venezuela emerged as a grassroots, socialist project of resisting US domination, and why the US insists on targeting the Venezuelan people.

Genres: Nonfiction

89 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2025

Reviews

[Esperanza · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is so important to read about Venezuela from its own people and this is a great collection of essays that sheds light to the historical and present issues occurring there from Venezuelans. It also talks about Chavismo and how the people continued to vote for both Chavez and Madura - not because they were forced, but because they believe in the work they were doing. If you want to learn more about this outside of the Western media, this is an amazing read!

[Julian Villa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Urgently readable intervention for English-speaking audiences trying to make sense of both the U.S. administration abducting President Maduro, as well as the United States’ enduring fixation on regime change in Latin America. The authors lean socialist and the book is pretty clear about its commitments: to national sovereignty, historical memory, and questioning U.S. power in the hemisphere. Some chapters are better than others, but overall it's a valuable and recommended read.

[Ajay S · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Viva la revolución bolivariana de Venezuela!

i love short, pamphlet-like political books. some essays still felt a little repetitive but the different framings was helpful. i wish there was a little more elaboration on the communes in venezuela. i especially like the essay ‘BEFORE THEY SEND IN THE TROOPS, THEY SEND IN THE JOURNALISTS’. felt almost prophetic having seen the media frenzy around maria corina machado and her nobel peace prize in the lead up to the kidnapping of president Maduro.

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5/5 for current relevance but actually more like a 3.5/5 (which is still quite good)

[Jeffrey Pedro · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely quick read giving you essential context regarding Venezuela, the Bolivarian revolution, and U.S. intervention to control Venezuela’s resources. This book dives into the various players shaping Venezuela’s society and its economy. It also examines the conditions that led the people to rise up and carry out a revolution. Western propaganda and its ability to shape people’s thoughts to justify regime change is highlighted in one of the chapters. Overall, a solid starter for anyone interested in understanding how the U.S. views Venezuela and its people. I would definitely recommend further reading / resources for a more comprehensive analysis.

[Nils Jepson · Rating 4 out of 5]

you can tell these essays were compiled quickly and never quite add up to a whole. some are more political treatise, others journalistic overviews of the different political parties in Venezuela, etc. a bit more curation would have been helpful to narrow in on the current state of the Bolivarian project and its next steps.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

An important guide to explain US interference in Venezuela, a country with the largest proven oil reserves in the world.

[John Horgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent read and gives a reading an understanding of Venezuela and it's stand against Empire