Venezuela’s status as a sovereign nation with no territorial relationship to the United States underpins the overwhelming trader consensus against statehood. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez has repeatedly rejected any annexation, citing the country’s independence process and constitutional integrity, while U.S. law requires congressional approval in both chambers plus Venezuelan consent through referendum or treaty—steps never initiated. Recent developments center on oil-sector cooperation and counternarcotics coordination after Nicolás Maduro’s removal, not political union. No bills, hearings, or formal negotiations have advanced the idea. Only improbable late shifts, such as a ratified bilateral agreement or fundamental change in Venezuelan governance structures, could reopen the question within the current political window.