Trump Administration Escalates Pressure on Venezuela
Why is the U.S. increasing pressure on Venezuela? This PBS NewsHour Classroom lesson breaks down key events, media framing, and policy decisions.
Note: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
A U.S. aircraft carrier reached the Caribbean as part of the Trump administration’s escalating pressure campaign on Venezuela and its broader effort to combat drug trafficking. In recent months, the U.S. has killed dozens of people, prompting an outcry across the region from governments and human rights groups. Nick Schifrin discussed more with Juanita Goebertus Estrada of Human Rights Watch.
View the transcript of the story.
Warm-Up Questions
- What military equipment has the U.S. moved into the Caribbean?
- Where is the military focusing their military pressure?
- Why has the U.S. bombed or attacked small boats in the Caribbean?
- Who is the U.S. seeking to remove from power, according to some sources?
- How have countries in the region responded to the pressure?
Essential Questions
- After watching this story, what do you think the Trump administration hopes to get from aggressive actions toward Venezuela?
- What do you think is the most likely outcome from the actions of the U.S. military?
- Media literacy: Who else would you want to hear from to best understand the impact of U.S. military actions?
Extension Activity
Read the article from the Associated Press, "Trump has accused boat strike targets of being narco-terrorists. The truth is more nuanced, AP investigation finds"
Then, as a class, discuss the following:
- How do you think the actions of the Trump administration will impact relations with Latin American and South American countries?
- How will these actions impact relationships with other countries around the world?
- Does this article change your thinking about why the Trump administration might be using military pressure in the region? If so, how?
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Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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