Venezuela’s political system has long been dominated by the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) and the legacy of the Bolivarian Revolution, first brought to power by Hugo Chávez in 1998. Under the leadership of Nicolás Maduro since 2013, the government centralized power in the presidency and weakened independent institutions, often sidelining opposition parties and consolidating control over the judiciary and electoral processes. Years of economic crisis, hyperinflation, and mass emigration have exacerbated political polarization, with many domestic critics and international observers describing the government’s practices as increasingly authoritarian.

In a dramatic turn of events in early January 2026, Maduro was captured during a U.S. military operation in Caracas and taken into custody to face federal charges in New York, where he has pleaded not guilty to narcotics and related offenses and is being held in a federal detention facility. This unprecedented arrest of a sitting head of state has plunged Venezuelan politics into greater uncertainty, with Vice President Delcy Rodríguez installed as interim president and efforts underway to release political prisoners and navigate a transition amid continuing tensions at home and abroad.