Overall Highlights

• Venezuelan officials, including Delcy Rodríguez, are actively campaigning for the lifting of U.S. sanctions, emphasizing their detrimental impact on the country.
• The deportation of Alex Saab, linked to Maduro’s government, has sparked discussions about corruption and the shadow oil trade in Venezuela.
• U.S. sources highlight the role of sanctions in Venezuela’s economic collapse, suggesting a complex relationship between sanctions and political stability.
• There is a notable divide in perspectives regarding the effectiveness and consequences of U.S. sanctions on Venezuela, with Venezuelan sources blaming them for the country’s struggles, while U.S. sources argue they are necessary for political accountability.

Venezuelan Perspective (Venezuelan Sources)

• Delcy Rodríguez insists that Venezuela will not rest until it is free from U.S. sanctions, calling for international support against them.
• The second phase of the ‘Peregrinación Venezuela sin Sanciones’ (Pilgrimage for a Venezuela Free of Sanctions) has begun, showcasing public dissent against the sanctions.
• Venezuela has deported businessman Alex Saab to the U.S., who is accused of being a key figure in Maduro’s financial operations, raising concerns about corruption and the government’s ties to illicit activities.

United States Perspective (United States Sources)

• U.S. analysis emphasizes the detrimental role of sanctions in Venezuela’s economic collapse, suggesting they are a necessary measure against the Maduro regime.
• Reports detail Alex Saab’s involvement in Venezuela’s shadow oil trade, framing him as a significant player in the country’s corruption issues.
• U.S. sources express skepticism about the Venezuelan government’s claims regarding sanctions, viewing them as a means to hold the regime accountable for its actions.

Sources

This summary is based on 20 articles from the following sources:

1. [es-VE] Presidenta (E) Delcy Rodríguez a Donald Trump: “No vamos a descansar hasta que Venezuela quede libre de sanciones” - Noticias Barquisimeto (5/19/2026)
2. [es-VE] Delcy Rodríguez insiste a Trump por el cese de sanciones en nueva caminata por Venezuela - HolaNews (5/19/2026)
3. [es-VE] Comenzó segunda etapa de Peregrinación Venezuela sin Sanciones - Prensa Latina (5/19/2026)
4. [es-VE] Venezuela deporta a Estados Unidos al empresario Alex Saab - AsatuNews.co.id (5/19/2026)
5. [es-VE] Delcy Rodríguez a Trump: No vamos a descansar hasta que Venezuela esté libre de sanciones - DiarioVea (5/19/2026)
6. [es-VE] Inicia segunda fase de Peregrinación Nacional por una Venezuela libre de sanciones - laradiodelsur.com.ve (5/19/2026)
7. [es-VE] Peregrinación Nacional por una Venezuela Libre de Sanciones inicia nueva fase en Zulia - teleSUR (5/19/2026)
8. [es-VE] Rosario Central vs Universidad Central en vivo: horarios, transmisión online y canales de la Copa Libertadores 2026 en Argentina, Venezuela, España, México y Estados Unidos - DAZN (5/19/2026)
9. [es-VE] #EnVideo📹| Vicepresidente Sectorial de Política, Seguridad Ciudadana y Paz, Diosdado Cabello, indicó que la Costa Oriental del Lago, estado Zulia, cuenta con 133 Cuadrantes de Paz. Anunció que se completará la dotación de vehículos y motos para los c - instagram.com (5/19/2026)
10. [es-VE] Venezuela deportó a EU a Alex Saab, señalado como testaferro de Maduro - El Heraldo de México (5/19/2026)
11. [en-US] Tyson Fury’s 16-year-old daughter, her new husband living it up on tropical $40k honeymoon as part of star boxer’s lavish wedding gifts - New York Post (5/19/2026)
12. [en-US] Working Paper: The Role of Sanctions in Venezuela’s Collapse: A Critical Comment on Santos et al. (2026) - cepr.net (5/19/2026)
13. [en-US] New Miami case casts Alex Saab as architect of Venezuela’s shadow oil trade - Miami Herald (5/19/2026)
14. [en-US] Venezuela Energy Reform and US Sanctions Relief Are Moving Together. Here’s What That Means. - corporatecomplianceinsights.com (5/19/2026)
15. [en-US] Venezuela Rejects Trump’s Map Fantasy as Empire Returns Wearing Jokes - LatinAmerican Post (5/18/2026)
16. [en-US] How US sanctions and Venezuela’s political crisis effected a collapse in Cuba - Yahoo (5/18/2026)
17. [en-US] Bolivarian Venezuela’s Unbreakable Solidarity with Cuba - newsclick.in (5/18/2026)
18. [en-US] Online prediction market traders make millions betting on U.S. military operations - CBS News (5/17/2026)
19. [en-US] World Bank Delegation Meets With Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez - Orinoco Tribune (5/17/2026)
20. [en-US] Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro’s billionaire ‘bagman’ arrested, extradicted to US 3 years after Biden pardon - New York Post (5/17/2026)