An article by Peoples Dispatch argues that a 'US War on Venezuela' commenced in 2001, defining 'war' in a broader sense to include economic, diplomatic, and covert actions rather than solely military conflict. This assertion is largely substantiated by available information, indicating the onset of significant US opposition following then-President Hugo Chávez's implementation of the Organic Hydrocarbons Law in 2001, which asserted state control over oil and gas reserves, impacting US-owned oil companies. This early tension quickly escalated into overt intervention, most notably with the US-supported failed coup attempt to oust Chávez in April 2002, an event widely documented by various sources including the OAS. Following the coup, a major oil strike and lockout in 2002-2003 further destabilized Venezuela's economy, which the article attributes to corrupt oil company management pressured by US interests. The narrative continues with the US intensifying diplomatic efforts to isolate Venezuela and imposing restrictions on its access to international credit markets from 2006 onwards. Direct financial sanctions by the US notably escalated in August 2017 under the Trump administration, targeting Venezuela's access to US financial markets and later expanding to block debt purchases in May 2018. These sanctions significantly disrupted Venezuela's payment systems and trade channels, contributing to its economic crisis. The article's framing of these multifaceted pressures as a 'hybrid war' aligns with how some analysts describe the coordinated use of economic coercion, financial strangulation, information warfare, legal manipulation, diplomatic isolation, and selective violence to destabilize sovereign governments.