How It All Went Wrong for the Maduro’s In Venezuela

How and why did Venezuela fall prey to the US Special Forces attack on Caracas on January 3, 2026, and what’s the political backstory? Once a showcase US ally awash with oil money, Venezuela has descended into crisis and confrontation. This film tracks the country’s arc from 1970s petro-democracy to the 1989 Caracazo riots, Hugo Chavez’s rise and radical reforms, the turbulent 2002 coup attempt against him, and the deep economic collapse and mass exodus under President Nicolas Maduro.

Framed around the dramatic US Special Forces operation, with bombing raids on the capital and Maduro toppled from power, this one-off special asks how a country so rich fell so far. Through first-hand testimony, expert analysis and rare archive, it shows how the fate of many Latin American countries is still shaped by US power, as the whole continent braces itself for further intervention under the current US administration.

Thanks for tuning in. From 1970s petro-democracy to the 1989 Caracazo riots, Hugo Chavez’s rise and radical reforms, the turbulent 2002 coup attempt against him, and the deep economic collapse and mass exodus under President Nicolas Maduro, this one-off special is framed around a dramatic US special forces operation, including bombing raids on the capital and the toppling of Maduro from power. It asks how a country so rich fell so far.