Anatoly Kurmanaev

We have to keep in mind that part of administration's strategy, I suppose, is to create this atmosphere and fear and tension and paranoia among the government of Nicolas Maduro and create a sort of split in his power structure.

But no matter who you speak to here in Venezuela, whether it's a street seller,

business people, officials in Maduro government.

It's clear to everyone that the final goal is to topple Maduro.

And this dovetails with what my colleagues in Washington are hearing from the sources that they are talking to, that the endgame of this pressure campaign is to bring a different government in power in Venezuela.

So the standoff goes back to the time of Maduro's predecessor and mentor Hugo Chávez.

He was a left-wing nationalist leader who became increasingly undemocratic.

This movement became increasingly antagonistic towards the U.S.

And used the country's oil wealth to challenge U.S.

dominance in the region.

You are a donkey, Mr. Bush.

Chavez struck new alliances with U.S.

adversaries.

Iranian President Ahmadinejad is visiting Venezuela.

With China, with Russia, with Iran, he repressed pro-American opposition parties.

And over time, the U.S.

has responded with

gradual sanctions, which were aimed at creating conditions for the opposition to win in a democratic way and change the course.

It's coming.

This all changes during Trump's first term in power.