Business of Space

China Loses a Space Ally With Ouster of Venezuela’s Maduro

US action could add to concerns about relying on America for access to orbit.

The national flags of Venezuela and China flutter in Tiananmen Square in 2023.Photographer: VCG/Visual China Group

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By Bruce Einhorn

January 7, 2026 at 3:00 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

Greetings, it’s Bruce Einhorn in Princeton, New Jersey. Our first space newsletter of 2026 looks at some of the fallout from the downfall of Nicolás Maduro. But first ...

Three things you need to know today: