A broadcast journalist recently posed a straightforward question: what's at stake for the US in Venezuela's chaos? The answer from policy circles revolves around three pillars. First up—geopolitical leverage. Certain global powers see Caracas as a foothold just 600 miles from American shores, a strategic concern that keeps security analysts awake. Then there's the narcotics angle, with trafficking routes running north. Finally, migration waves continue testing border infrastructure. Washington's calculus blends all three, treating the situation less as distant drama and more as a doorstep dilemma with ripple effects across markets and institutions.