For over two decades, whenever the authoritarian regime in Venezuela has been threatened, the Chinese Communist Party has provided economic assistance and political and diplomatic support to help it stay in power.
The Diplomat, August 2024
An article stated that historically, it has been believed that the reason the Maduro government has been able to remain in power is due to support from countries like Cuba, Russia, and Iran. While these countries have provided political, diplomatic, and military support to the Venezuelan regime, none have played as decisive a role as China (CCP) in ensuring the continuation of power for leaders like Chavez and his successor, Maduro.
Analyst Evan Ellis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in 2019 believed that over the past two decades, these loans have propped up the Venezuelan government, “far exceeding the level at which its poor policies historically should have led to change.”
Ellis said: “Except for the Cubans, there is no one else in Latin America who can influence the fate of Nicolas Maduro and his cronies like China (CCP).”
Why does the CCP act this way?
From an external perspective, the friendly relationship between Communist China and Venezuela seems to be based on economic complementarity – China needs to import oil, and Venezuela has the world’s largest oil reserves. However, the fundamental link between the two lies in politics, as both see each other as allies against the United States.
This strategic bond and network of interests were established in 1998 when the communist Chavez won the presidential election in Venezuela under an anti-American banner, marking a significant change in the nature of the relationship between the two countries.
Since 1999, Chavez visited China six times, more than any other Latin American leader, and the two CCP leaders have met with him multiple times.
Chavez considered himself the heir of Bolivar, the South American communist, and once said in a speech at Peking University, “the Bolivarian Revolution is rooted in Mao Zedong Thought,” calling them “soul mates.”
His narrative on the “multipolar world” opposing the U.S. agenda coincides with China’s diplomatic multilateralism and anti-hegemony stance.
This made the relationship between the Chavez government and CCP not just an economic partnership but also a “comrade” relationship.
After Chavez’s death in 2013, the CCP referred to him as an “outstanding leader” and “a good friend of the Chinese people.”
Maduro, Chavez’s successor, continued Chavez’s policies. During his visit to Beijing in 2023, bilateral relations were elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Maduro emphasized that Venezuela was following the development model of China in implementing its reforms.
Just hours before his arrest, Maduro praised the “unbreakable bond” between Venezuela and China, thanking the CCP leader for the “brotherly support.”
In late November last year, Xi Jinping called the two countries “intimate friends, dear brothers, and good partners.”
Venezuela, once one of the richest countries globally, has now become one of the most failed countries in Latin America, a victim of communist revolution experimentation.
During Maduro’s years in power, over seven million people out of a population of 27 million have fled their homes. In 2016, Venezuelans’ average weight dropped by 8.7 kg, further decreasing by 3 to 11 kg in 2017, leading to them being mocked as “holding out bowls for food.”
Venezuela’s disastrous policies should have been the reason for the collapse of the government, but the unconditional political, diplomatic, and economic support provided by the CCP has been crucial in maintaining the Chavez and Maduro regimes.
Beijing has also played a key role in the electoral victories of the ruling party in Venezuela. This includes economic aid to the late Chavez and support for Maduro when his legitimacy was questioned.
Chavez’s election was based on promises of welfare programs in exchange for votes. To sustain social welfare, Venezuela sought funding, with China being its main benefactor.
According to Bloomberg, in the 2012 elections, the Chavez government purchased 3 million household appliances, thousands of housing units, hundreds of public buses, cars, mobile phones, and laptops to attract voters and secure his fourth term in office.
The Diplomat article argued that the funds provided by China had a decisive impact on Chavez’s reelection.
After Chavez’s death in March 2013, his successor Maduro won the election with a narrow margin, sparking fraud allegations and questioning the legitimacy of his rule in the international community.
In this backdrop, newly appointed CCP leader Xi Jinping met with Maduro, providing $14 billion in aid to his government and elevating bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partner, endorsing his regime.
In 2018, Venezuela began emulating China by promoting a new type of smart ID card called the “Motherland Card,” linking it to food subsidies, medical care, and other social welfare programs. Maduro used it as a tool to monitor the population and distribute scarce resources to his supporters, with Zhongxing Communications being the core executor of the project.
During the 2018 presidential elections, opposition leaders in Venezuela were jailed, exiled, or banned from running, and voters were threatened with job loss or loss of social benefits if they did not vote for Maduro. Most Western countries do not recognize Maduro’s legitimacy and have imposed sanctions on him.
However, China recognized the election results and vetoed a UN Security Council resolution for a new election.
During the 2019 electoral crisis in Venezuela, the CCP provided riot gear to the Venezuelan authorities to suppress protests.
That year, Juan Guaidó, then President of the National Assembly in Venezuela, declared himself interim president. Beijing continued to recognize Maduro and vetoed at the UN Security Council.
In July 2024, Maduro suffered a crushing defeat in the elections, with the opposition obtaining legitimate vote counts, proving their victory unequivocally. However, the Maduro regime responded with one of the most blatant election frauds in history, falsifying election results contrary to the ballot counts and resorting to brutal repression to cling to power.
Once again, the CCP became a key force in Maduro’s reelection campaign, unhesitatingly supporting Venezuela’s electoral system and urging the U.S. government to “avoid interference” in Venezuela’s internal affairs.
Economically, China has consistently supported Venezuela.
Between 2007 and 2015, according to data from the Dialogue of the Americas organization and Boston University, China provided Venezuela with over $60 billion in oil-backed loans.
Data from AidData, under the College of William & Mary, shows that from 2000 to 2023, Venezuela was the fourth largest beneficiary of Chinese overseas loans.
Since 2019, when the U.S. sanctioned the Maduro regime and implemented an oil embargo, China has been the main destination for Venezuelan oil exports.
Although Venezuelan oil accounts for only about 4% of China’s total imports, it is crucial for Maduro’s survival. According to Reuters’ calculations, in months from 2023 to 2025, China absorbed 55% to 80% of Venezuela’s exports in many months. These sales are essential for the Maduro regime to maintain minimal foreign exchange income as access to Western markets is limited.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Beijing provided Venezuela with 110 tons of medical supplies, 1 million PCR testing kits, 8 million masks, 2 million pairs of gloves, as well as vaccines and other donations.
The funding from the CCP has exacerbated the deep-rooted corruption of the Maduro regime. As of 2017, Venezuela was ranked as the 11th most corrupt country globally.
Last year, Maduro boasted about China’s support, claiming it could ensure his personal safety in the event of social conflict with the opposition. He stated that his alliance with the CCP could provide him with “cutting-edge technology for drone and anti-drone operations.”
Today, Maduro has been captured by the United States, and other than verbal “condemnation,” the CCP has not taken any further action, making the “comprehensive strategic partnership” a mere rhetoric.
Experts point out that for the CCP, Venezuela is more like a partner at the rhetorical and symbolic level rather than an ally willing to provide military support in direct confrontation with the United States.
“When some partners face crises, China’s position is limited.” Ines Arco, a researcher specializing in East Asian affairs at the Barcelona Center for International Affairs (CIDOB), stated.
“When the U.S. bombed Iran, Iran is a closer ally than Venezuela, and similar to Venezuela, it faces challenges in terms of energy importance and international sanctions, but Beijing did not offer any further aid beyond verbal support.” Arco said.
For years, the Chinese Communist Party has viewed Venezuela as a foothold to penetrate the Western Hemisphere. However, hours after Maduro met with a CCP delegation, he was arrested by the United States.
“Any assurances made by Beijing in that meeting have a very short shelf life.” Michael Sobolik, a senior researcher at the Hudson Institute, remarked.
Sobolik said, “During the ‘Midnight Hammer’ operations last year, China did not come to Iran’s rescue because they could not project power and prevent the U.S. Similarly, they did not come to Maduro’s rescue for the same reasons.”