Why it Matters

The U.S. military removed Nicolás Maduro from power in a raid — and Congress is still catching up. The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Western Hemisphere Subcommittee convenes March 27 to examine what comes next for Venezuela and the broader Latin American region. The answers will shape U.S. sanctions policy, energy markets, diplomatic strategy, and the fate of millions of Venezuelans living through an uncertain political transition.

The Ground Situation

The Venezuela political transition is fragile at best. A BBC News report from inside Venezuela found recently freed opposition politicians navigating an unclear path forward, with Venezuelans still protesting in the streets. More troubling: a UN mission warned in mid-March that Venezuela’s "repressive state" remained fully operational even after Maduro’s removal — the apparatus of the Maduro regime collapse has not translated into a collapse of its enforcement machinery.

The International Crisis Group raised doubts about whether the Trump administration’s approach — described as "running Venezuela remotely" after the military raid — constitutes a genuine transition or merely a transaction, with Maduro’s wife Cilia Flores and her brother Jorge Rodríguez among the civilian successors now holding power.

Latin America’s reaction has been divided. RAND Corporation analysts categorized regional governments into four camps: supporters of the removal (Argentina), sovereignty objectors (Colombia, which rushed troops to its border), cautious stabilizers (Panama), and those with mixed positions. Cuba, Iran, and Russia condemned the U.S. raid at the UN. Chile’s president-elect José Antonio Kast called Maduro’s capture "great news" and urged Latin American governments to ensure the "entire apparatus of the regime relinquishes power and is held accountable."

Economic Stakes Driving the Maduro Fall Hearing

The economic dimensions are significant. Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, and Reuters reported that investors were already traveling to Caracas to scout opportunities, with over $100 billion in debt requiring restructuring. The U.S. and Caracas agreed to re-establish diplomatic ties — a prerequisite for broader economic re-engagement.

But the EU Institute for Security Studies warned that the U.S. oil blockade on Venezuela remained in place, and that without relief, Venezuela could lose more than 70 percent of its oil production in 2026, eliminating its primary source of public revenue.

That warning has a direct Washington corollary: foreign energy interests have been lobbying aggressively on U.S.-Venezuela sanctions policy. Maurel & Prom, a French oil company with Venezuelan operations, spent more than $1.3 million across four quarters through two separate lobbying firms — Checkmate Government Relations and Eversheds Sutherland — specifically targeting sanctions and energy policy related to Venezuela. Checkmate’s roster includes Christopher LaCivita, a prominent Republican political operative.

Mare Finance Investment Holdings, an Irish investment firm, retained McLarty Inbound to navigate OFAC licensing and U.S.-Venezuela relations. Americas Alliance for Liberty & Prosperity lobbied across all four quarters on U.S.-Venezuela and U.S.-Cuba relations. A Turkish agro-industrial company, Tiryaki Agro, registered to lobby on "potential business transactions in Venezuela."

Perhaps the most telling data point ahead of the Maduro fall hearing: Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA, filed multiple termination amendments with federal lobbying registrars in January and March 2026 — winding down its Washington presence in the weeks immediately before the hearing. The regime’s lobbying footprint is dissolving in real time.

Who’s at the Table

The hearing is chaired by Rep. María Salazar (R-FL-27), with Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20) serving as ranking member. The sole identified witness is Michael Kozak, a former U.S. diplomat with deep experience in Latin American affairs at the State Department.

The hearing notice places the session at 3:00 p.m. in 2172 Rayburn House Office Building. The full subcommittee includes members from both parties, among them Reps. Mark Green (R-TN), Cory Mills (R-FL), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Dina Titus (D-NV), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), and Sara Jacobs (D-CA).

The questions Kozak faces — whether the repressive apparatus will be dismantled, whether sanctions will be lifted, and whether the transition is durable — will carry consequences well beyond the hearing room, for U.S. foreign policy in the hemisphere and for the millions of Venezuelans whose futures remain unresolved.

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