Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodriguez during a working activity with people working in the fishing industry in Carirubana, Falcon state, on Saturday, March 14, 2026. Photo: Venezuelan Presidential Press.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)âVenezuelan authorities have begun to advance toward May 1, International Workersâ Day, with news pointing to the traditional comprehensive income adjustment seen annually at this time.
Reports in Venezuela on Friday indicated that, following acting President Delcy RodrĂguez’s approval, the “Economic War” bonus was increased from $120 to $150 for active public workers.
The Patria System announced the adjustment to 66,450.00 bolivars, equivalent to $150 at the official exchange rate. This represents an increase of approximately $30, or 25% compared to the previous value of $120, as reported by Diario VEA. There were no reports regarding the “food bonus” paid by the government as part of workers’ comprehensive income.
Due to the economic crisis affecting Venezuela since 2017, largely driven by illegal US sanctions, these special bonuses are not part of the base salary. Consequently, they do not impact vacation, professional, seniority, or end-of-year bonuses, nor do they affect retirement packages, which many Venezuelan workers are awaiting.
On Saturday, during an event with fishers in FalcĂłn state, RodrĂguez announced the deposit of $300 million into the recently created Social Protection Fund. This funding resulted from an extraordinary sale of fuel oil, which enabled the increase in the war bonus reported by the Patria System.
“If you noticed, yesterday, $300 million came into the Social Protection Fund… the equivalent of $300 million from an extraordinary sale of oil, to guarantee an increase in the income of the workers, which they also saw reflected in the payment of the Patria System,” she said from Carirubana. Accompanied by hundreds of fishers, she reiterated the call for the lifting of illegal US sanctions heavily affecting Venezuelans.
She emphasized that any extraordinary income “will be for our workers, for our people, for social protection.” However, she clarified that expectations should remain grounded regarding the government’s current capacity to completely adjust wage distortions.
Analysts estimate that the public administration consists of approximately 3 million workers. The $300 million announcement would represent roughly four months of the $30 adjustment reported on Friday.
Pensioners do not receive the “Economic War” bonus. Analysts suggest new announcements regarding salaries and comprehensive income will be made in the coming days.
During the activity in FalcĂłn, RodrĂguez also announced that workers will present her with a growth plan for Venezuela on May 1. This indicates a continuation of the government’s policy linking economic growth directly to improved labor conditions.
On March 6, the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) reported that accumulated inflation for 2025 reached 475.28%. This inflationary trend exponentially surpasses the reported 25 adjustment in the “war bonus.”
Venezuela Reports 8.7% Economy Growth in 2025 Despite US Aggression; Inflation Persists
The expanding disparity between the official exchange rate and the parallel market continues to exert significant pressure on consumer prices. Throughout 2025, the official rate moved from 52.02 bolivars per US dollar in January to 301.37 bolivars in December, representing a 479.33% depreciation.
As of March 6, the official BCV rate stands at 431.01 bolivars per US dollar, while the parallel marketâbenchmarked by USDT prices on the Binance P2P platformâclosed at 617.83 bolivars. This 43.34% premium in the parallel market encourages the use of black-market references in retail transactions, maintaining constant upward pressure on inflation.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/JB
