The acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, stated this Tuesday that the Chavista regime has an economic program with a horizon extending to 2040 to transform the country into an "economic powerhouse", in remarks shared in a video posted on the social media platform X that generated widespread reactions on social networks.
"We have a very clear economic program that we will follow from now until 2040 to transform Venezuela's capabilities and potential, making Venezuela not only an energy power but also an economic powerhouse. We will diversify all its capabilities," Rodríguez declared in the video.
The acting president supported her claims with a series of official figures: a growth of 6.6% in the third quarter of 2026, an increase of 23% in the population's consumption capacity over the past twelve months, and 22 consecutive quarters of economic recovery. She also highlighted advancements in tax collection, oil production, and the construction sector.
However, the picture painted by independent international organizations contrasts with that optimism. The International Monetary Fund projects an average annual inflation rate of 467.9% for Venezuela in 2026, and poverty affects more than 70% of the population.
PDVSA's production is around 1.2 million barrels per day, well below the two million it reached in 2016. Both CEPAL and the IMF confirm an economic growth, although they estimate it to be between 5% and 6.5% for the year, figures lower than those reported by the government.
The plan announced by Rodríguez is, in fact, an extension of the "Economic Recovery, Prosperity, and Growth Program" originally launched in 2018 under Nicolás Maduro, updated in July 2026 with the activation of ten strategic engines for sectoral revitalization.
The statements come at a time of intense political pressure on the Chavista regime.
On November 2, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Oliver Blanco and reaffirmed Washington's three-phase plan for Venezuela: economic stabilization and recovery, political reconciliation, and democratic transition with free elections. Rubio also demanded the continued release of political prisoners.
A this pressure is added the return of the opposition leader María Corina Machado to the country. After nearly ten months in exile, Machado returned to Venezuela on October 25, entering from Colombia by land, reappearing in Barquisimeto and then arriving in Caracas in a caravan. Rodríguez described this return as a "show."
The opposition Unitary Platform presented on October 28 a "Great National Agreement" with 14 initiatives and a pathway toward general elections. Machado has suggested that a potential presidential election could take place in 2027, contingent upon prior political agreements and institutional reforms, including the appointment of new magistrates to the Supreme Court of Justice and the reform of the National Electoral Council.
While the regime tries to project stability with a long-term economic plan, the international community and the opposition demand that any recovery be accompanied by a genuine democratic opening, with free elections as a non-negotiable precondition.
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