Marketplace All-in-One Venezuela's interim president sworn in
Jan 6, 2026
Ivan Briscoe, a Senior Analyst at the International Crisis Group, dives into the political upheaval in Venezuela following Delcy Rodríguez's swearing-in as interim president. He discusses her background in the Chavista government and her technocratic approach to economic reform. Briscoe highlights the dire state of Venezuela's economy since 2013, detailing issues like oil dependence and mismanagement. He also outlines potential short-term stabilization trends and reforms needed to attract investors amid the ongoing uncertainty for everyday citizens.
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Shopping Under Guarded Lines
- Wilma, speaking from Caracas, describes shopping under tight security and limited supply.
- A kilo of corn flour rose from about $1 to over $3, leaving her hopeful but worried about daily survival.
Collapse Driven By Mismanagement
- Ivan Briscoe explains Venezuela's economy collapsed by about 70–80% of GDP since 2013 due to mismanagement, not just oil prices.
- He links collapse to corruption, state controls, expropriations and hyperinflation driving mass emigration.
Liberalisation Helped, Rule Of Law Needed
- Briscoe says Delcy Rodríguez helped steer pragmatic economic liberalisation, dollarisation and higher oil output in recent years.
- He warns sustainable investor trust needs rule of law and institutional checks beyond policy tweaks.