LatinNews Daily - 17 April 2026

*The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have announced that they are resuming dealings with Venezuela after a seven-year pause. Both entities suspended their relations with the country in 2019, with the IMF yesterday highlighting previous “government recognition issues” – a reference to the constitutional crisis which erupted that year after Juan Guaidó claimed to be Venezuela’s legitimate president rather than then president Nicolás Maduro (2013-2026) and received widespread international support. New President Delcy Rodríguez hailed the restoration of ties as “a very important step for the Venezuelan economy” and “a great achievement of Venezuelan diplomacy”. The resumption of dealings with the IMF and the World Bank should expand Venezuela’s access to international finance and comes amid major changes in the Venezuelan economy. Rodríguez yesterday promulgated a mining reform approved by the national assembly last week, which will open up the sector to international investment, and she also announced the resignation of the president of the central bank (BCV), Laura Guerra, who had been in the role since April 2025 and will be replaced by her former deputy, Luis Pérez. The shake-up comes after the US lifted its sanctions on the BCV and three other state-controlled banks on 14 April.

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