What is behind President Trump's sustained campaign against Nicolás Maduro, the leader of Venezuela? We’ll dive into the context and the current events — from human rights abuses by the socialist president and an opposition movement led by Trump ally Maria Corina Machado to oil interests and a highly unorthodox operation at sea that has alarmed many in Congress.  Featuring Julian Barnes, U.S. intelligence and international security reporter at the New York Times; UC Professor of Political Science Michael Albertus; and Génesis Dávila, human rights lawyer and founder of Defiende Venezuela. Moderated by IOP senior director Jennifer Steinhauer. 

Please note that this event is open to current UC students only for in-person attendance. If you are not a student, you can tune into the livestream on our Youtube channel. 

If you have any questions about accessibility, please contact iopevents@uchicago.edu.

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

12:30 am – 1:30 pm CT

Institute of Politics