Abstract. The article is devoted to the political crisis in Venezuela that intensified again in January 2019. The reasons, dynamics, and possible consequences of the confrontation between two branches of power are explored. While the government of Nicolas Maduro still retains a certain safety margin, its resources gradually erode under the steady pressure from the states of the "collective West" and Latin America, as well as domestic opposition groups. The country’s political leadership suffers from internal tensions and conflicts. Under these conditions, the probability of the regime change in the Bolivarian Republic is increasing.