Maduro Out, but Trump Still In: What Now for Venezuela and Cuba?

On the situation in Venezuela: Our experts shed light on the background and analyse current developments, international reactions, and consequences for the region.

With Maduro‘s arrest by US forces, Trump’s sanctions on President Petro, and crucial elections ahead, Colombia faces unprecedented challenges. This GIGA Talk examines how the peace process, drug trafficking, and US–Venezuela tensions will shape Colombia‘s political future and Germany‘s engagement with the country.

The consequences of the US administration’s military intervention in Venezuela to capture former president Nicolás Maduro, and Trump’s pledge to “run” the country indefinitely via interim president Delcy Rodríguez while the US secures the country’s oil resources, are reverberating regionally and globally. This roundtable brings together GIGA experts on Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East to discuss these events, their drivers, as well as their worldwide implications.

Trump’s ultra-aggressive claim to South America as the United States’ exclusive zone of influence changes the region’s political coordinates. The GIGA analyses the ongoing stand-off in Venezuela, the role of China, Latin America’s upcoming elections, and other key events and trends to watch in 2026.

China and Venezuela’s long-standing alliance faces its toughest test yet after Maduro’s arrest. From oil-for-loans deals to digital surveillance and military cooperation, Beijing now risks losing influence as Washington moves to assert dominance over Caracas.

On the situation in Venezuela: Our experts shed light on the background and analyse current developments, international reactions, and consequences for the region.

With Maduro‘s arrest by US forces, Trump’s sanctions on President Petro, and crucial elections ahead, Colombia faces unprecedented challenges. This GIGA Talk examines how the peace process, drug trafficking, and US–Venezuela tensions will shape Colombia‘s political future and Germany‘s engagement with the country.

The consequences of the US administration’s military intervention in Venezuela to capture former president Nicolás Maduro, and Trump’s pledge to “run” the country indefinitely via interim president Delcy Rodríguez while the US secures the country’s oil resources, are reverberating regionally and globally. This roundtable brings together GIGA experts on Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East to discuss these events, their drivers, as well as their worldwide implications.