The Daily Journal — Acting President Delcy Rodríguez announced on Friday that Venezuela has secured an initial $346 million from its own funds held at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following the emergency caused by the twin 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that struck the country’s northern region on June 24.
“Following the devastating twin earthquakes that struck our country, Venezuela has gained initial access to US$346 million of its own resources at the International Monetary Fund (IMF). We will allocate these funds to the recovery and reconstruction process after this tragedy,” Rodríguez said in a statement released through her social media accounts.
The acting president explained that the funding will support affected families through housing assistance, infrastructure repairs, essential public services, and other urgent needs.
Rodríguez thanked IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva “for her support and commitment.” She also expressed her appreciation to “all the institutions that made this important step possible.”
Political shift and the restoration of IMF relations
Access to the $346 million reserve tranche—a source of immediate, unrestricted liquidity that remains separate from the $4.5 billion in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) still unavailable to Venezuela—marks a significant milestone in the country’s political transformation this year.
Caracas and the IMF had suspended formal relations since 2019 because of disputes over the international recognition of Venezuela’s government. The institutional landscape changed dramatically after U.S. military forces captured Nicolás Maduro in early January to face narcoterrorism charges.
After Maduro left power, Delcy Rodríguez assumed the country’s acting presidency, opening the door to negotiations with multilateral financial institutions. On April 16, 2026, the IMF formally resumed relations with Venezuela.
