This report discusses the economic crisis in Venezuela including its origins of the crisis and current attempts at debt restructuring by the Venezuelan government. The report also outlines U.S. interests in the Venezuelan economy and trade, the outlook for U.S. holders of Venezuelan oil company bonds, ownership of CITGO (the biggest shareholder is the Venezuelan state-oil company), and the prospects of U.S. support of economic recovery in the future.

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.

This report discusses the current Congressional issues in relation to Venezuela. For more than a decade, Venezuela has experienced significant political changes under the rule of populist President Hugo Chávez, and for a number of years there has been concern about the deterioration of democratic institutions and threats to freedom of expression in the country.

U.S. attention to terrorism in Latin America intensified in the aftermath of the September 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, with an increase in bilateral and regional cooperation. Over the past several years, policymakers have been concerned about Iran's increasing activities in Latin America, particularly its relations with Venezuela, although there has been disagreement over the extent and significance of Iran's relations with the region. In the 112th Congress, several initiatives have been introduced related to terrorism issues in the Western Hemisphere regarding Mexico, Venezuela, and the activities of Iran and Hezbollah, and several oversight hearings have been held.

This report discusses the funds and material support the U.S. has contributed to help Colombia and the Andean region fight drug trafficking since the development of Plan Colombia in 1999.

Under the populist rule of President Hugo Chávez, first elected in 1998, Venezuela has undergone enormous political changes, with a new constitution, a new the unicameral legislature, and even a new name for the country, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Although Chávez remained widely popular until mid-2001, his popularity eroded considerably after that, amid concerns that he was imposing a leftist agenda. In April 2002, massive opposition protests led to the ouster of Chávez from power for a brief period, but the military restored him to power after an interim the government resorted to such hardline measures as dismantling the National Assembly and suspending the Constitution.

This report discusses President Bush's 2002 requests for new funding and additional authority to provide assistance to Colombia and six regional neighbors in a continuation of the Andean Regional Initiative (ARI) launched in 2001.

This report discusses President Bush's 2002 requests for new funding and additional authority to provide assistance to Colombia and six regional neighbors in a continuation of the Andean Regional Initiative (ARI) launched in 2001.

Quarterly publication of the General Dynamics plant in Fort Worth, Texas describing their products, research, and employees, as well as articles about pilots and others using the aircraft they produce.

Photocopy of a script from the WBAP-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, relating a news story about two freighters crashing off the coast of Galveston.

Script from the WBAP-TV/NBC station in Fort Worth, Texas, relating a news story about the result of a freight crash.

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."