Photograph used for a story in the Daily Oklahoman newspaper. Caption: "Below: Sebastian Guia, Venezuela, left, and Enrique Alonso, Mexico, are ready to send the Oklahoma City weather sequence out on the teletype circuit."

This report, divided into three main sections, examines the political and economic situation in Venezuela and U.S.-Venezuelan relations. The first two sections describe the environment under various political leaders including President Hugo Chávez (1999-2013) and President Nicolás Maduro. The third section examines U.S. relations with Venezuela, including the imposition of sanctions on Venezuelan officials, and selected issues in U.S. relations--democracy and human rights, energy, counternarcotics, and terrorism concerns.