The master's thesis analyzes U.S. policy towards Venezuela during the terms of three U.S. presidents, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. It analyzes what means of hard and soft power the three presidents used in their foreign policy towards Venezuela, what factors influenced their decisions, and whether attitudes changed depending on whether a Republican or Democratic president was in power in the United States. The work shows that the three presidents had different foreign policy concepts. In parallel with the growing political and economic crisis in Venezuela in recent years, Presidents Obama and Trump have faced growing foreign policy challenges. The United States has long maintained a rather cautious approach, in part out of economic interest, as oil trade has dominated the two countries for many years despite disagreements. Equally important to their relationship are the historical circumstances of the Latin American region. The specific relationship between Latin America and the United States was fueled by the Monroe Doctrine, which often led Latin American countries to view US foreign policy with distrust. All three presidents used a combination of hard and soft power. The Obama administration has favored soft power more often, and the Trump administration has acted emphatically with hard power, with very extensive economic sanctions on Venezuela.
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