pretty much sums it up.
For many years, the United States made huge profits from Venezuela’s oil while paying the country very little. When Venezuela chose a government the U.S. didn’t like, the U.S. stopped buying its oil and pressured the rest of the world to stop too. This crushed Venezuela’s economy. When Venezuela found new countries willing to buy its oil anyway, the U.S. changed the story and claimed the problem was “drugs.” Using that excuse, the U.S. began seizing ships, blocking sales, and taking more control of Venezuelan oil. The real issue isn’t drugs — it’s oil and power.
To be clear tho there's a lot of hypocrisy going around. The US is mad so stopped buying their oil, Venezuela is claiming the USA didnt give them enough money even when they did buy it, Venezuelans are saying the govt didn't give the people enough of the money even tho they're faux communists and all of that should be redistributed.
all of it really rings of like an old timey fable. a group of people find a priceless object, but it brings whomever possesses it nothing but misfortune. Venezuala sits atop the world's largest proven oil reserves, it's the world's largest black gold mine, and yet no one can just drill it, sell it, and make the people of the nation happy.