A chronological record of Venezuela's political news
Venezuela's economy, public services and humanitarian crisis in their political dimension.
Nightly protests with burning tires and pot-banging are spreading in Venezuela against power rationing of seven to 12 hours a day, as the oil sector opens to investment. According to Delcy Rodríguez, demand peaked at 16,400 megawatts in September, the highest since 2017; experts estimate the country generates about 12,000.
The official toll from the two June 24 earthquakes, of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, reached 6,509 dead, National Assembly president Jorge Rodríguez reported on August 24, 2026; 25,240 homes are uninhabitable. The NGO Provea questioned the choice of a National Guard general as sole authority for the emergency.
A study by the NGO FundaRedes, presented on August 4, 2026, says 80% of public-school pupils suffer some degree of malnutrition, schools face a 74% teacher shortfall and 56% of students report suicidal thoughts. Its president, Javier Tarazona, called for the education minister's resignation.
An earthquake of magnitude 7.1, according to preliminary US Geological Survey data, struck central Venezuela on June 24, 2026, centered near Montalbán, Carabobo state. Injuries were reported in Guatire, and cracked buildings and evacuations in Caracas; there was no official toll yet.
The US chargé d'affaires in Venezuela and Electricity Minister Rolando Alcalá agreed on May 14, 2026, to move forward with a three-phase, US-backed plan to rebuild the national power grid. That same day, new supply failures were reported in Caracas and other regions.
The IMF and the World Bank resumed relations with Venezuela on April 16, 2026, under acting president Delcy Rodríguez, after suspending them in 2019 over the dispute about which government to recognize. The IMF said it acted on the views of members holding most of its voting power.
Hundreds of workers, union members and retirees marched on March 12, 2026, in Caracas and other cities to demand wage increases and, for the first time in years, reached the National Assembly to deliver their demands. The minimum wage remains 130 bolívars (about US$0.29), unchanged for four years.
Venezuela's Central Bank, which resumed publishing the figure after more than a year, reported on March 6, 2026, that 2025 inflation was 475%. Food rose 532% and education 570%; the bank also reported GDP growth of about 9%, driven by oil.
After the pre-dawn bombings of January 3, 2026, and Nicolás Maduro's capture by the US, thousands of Venezuelans lined up at supermarkets and pharmacies to stock up, while streets were largely empty and chavista supporters rallied in squares against the operation.
Economists interviewed by Diario Las Américas place Venezuela, at the close of 2025, on the threshold of hyperinflation: inflation projections range from over 280% to over 750%, with a sharp fall of the bolívar, despite slight oil-driven GDP growth. They argue that recovery requires a change of government.
The UN World Food Programme announced on August 20, 2025, that for lack of funds it will halve its projects in Venezuela and stop operating in five states. It was assisting about 400,000 people; the UN estimates that four million need food aid.
In April 2025 Maduro decreed a 60-day economic emergency with ten fiscal and tax measures, including the suspension of national, state and municipal taxes, citing lost revenue from oil sanctions. Specialists consulted by the outlet warn that it concentrates power, weakens municipalities and businesses, and bypasses legislative oversight.
