Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez during the ANSA Congress, held in Caracas on Wednesday, June 4, 2024. Photo: Vice Presidency Press.
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez has reported that dismantling the criminal groups that have been operating in the foreign exchange black market—through websites, apps, and social media accounts—has positively impacted the foreign exchange sector. She stated that the sectors of food, medicine, and manufacturing will be prioritized in foreign currency allocation, adding that luxury consumption is excluded from the list of priorities given Venezuela’s current economic context.
Rodríguez made the announcement during her participation in Venezuela’s First Retailers Congress, held this Wednesday, June 4, highlighting the sector’s growth since 2018 and its economic impact.
During her speech, Rodríguez said retail “represents 4.5% of gross domestic product and employs 640,000 workers. It has been consolidating and growing.” She emphasized retail activity must not depend on imports, but instead strengthen domestic production.
She urged collaboration between industry and commerce under President Nicolás Maduro’s policies, to recover production capacity and boost manufacturing.
“Economic growth is a strategic objective,” she continued. “It’s a unique goal for Venezuela, one we must all contribute to. I believe that’s the formula enabling Venezuela’s growing economy in recent years.”
Rodríguez explained that Venezuela has experienced sustained growth from 2021 through first-quarter 2025, despite economic sanctions from the US empire and its allies. “2025 first-quarter growth reached 9.32%. This effort reflects the country’s joint work,” she noted.
She reported oil activity grew 18.23%; mining, 13.46%; trade/repair services, 8.23%; and manufacturing, 5.77%. Business formalization rose 66.19% from 2024 to 2025, increasing sector transparency and public involvement.
“The economy is bubbling, and we need adjustments to maintain growth,” said the Venezuelan vice president. “Our collective efforts will ensure Venezuela continues its positive path with a promising future where retail keeps growing.”
Dismantling mafias has been positive
Rodríguez explained that parallel (black market) dollar gangs operated without financial logic, calling it “anti-political opportunism” by far-right opposition extremists exploiting international instability to sabotage the economy.
“The dollar mafia. [We have made] over 20 arrests, and this has impacted their market,” she continued. “This proves it’s not market-driven, but mafias waging economic war against Venezuelans.”
She called for collaboration from productive sectors, distribution chains, and retailers to protect the economy, by creating safe spaces with bolívar-priced transactions, “leaving no opening for dollar mafias to disrupt.”
Rodríguez added that these issues require “frankness and transparency,” noting economic growth is Venezuelans’ strategic objective, and further called for national unity to generate wellbeing regardless of differences: “We must act as one to overcome this disruption.”
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/AU
