Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodriguez announced plans for a "responsible increase" to worker wages effective May 1, 2026, during a televised address on Wednesday. The move aims to leverage revenue from revitalized oil and mining sectors to address long-standing economic challenges.
While no specific figures were disclosed, Rodriguez emphasized that income restoration would align with inflation trends and rely on production recovery in hydrocarbons and mining. The current minimum wage of 130 bolivares monthly—unchanged since March 2022—remains equivalent to mere cents, though public sector workers often receive supplementary payments.
"We are committed to steady, gradual improvement through productive growth," Rodriguez stated, highlighting plans to form a commission defining strategic state assets. She explicitly rejected privatization proposals for state oil firm PDVSA while endorsing expanded private and overseas investment frameworks.
The announcement follows warming US-Venezuela relations after Washington's intervention in Caracas earlier this year. Rodriguez reiterated calls to lift remaining US sanctions, noting collaboration with the Trump administration to expand American involvement in Venezuela's energy sectors.
