Venezuela's Rodriguez announces 'responsible increase' to wages

Venezuela's Acting ‌President Delcy ​Rodriguez ​said on Wednesday her government will make a "responsible increase" to workers' income on May 1, as her administration ‌looks to leverage oil and mining developments to boost salaries.

She did not give a figure for the wage rise.

Venezuela's base ‌minimum wage has been at ‌130 bolivares per month since March 2022, equivalent to just a few cents, though many public employees earn more through ​bonuses and other payments that can take their monthly incomes up to some $150.

"Our immediate, medium-term and long-term goal is ⁠to steadily and gradually restore workers' incomes through productive growth in both the hydrocarbons and ​mining sectors, which generate immediate revenue once production recovery takes place," Rodriguez said in an announcement on ​state TV.

She noted that the pay ‌rise would take into account impacts on inflation, and that Venezuela would continue "moving forward along that ⁠path" as the country benefits from more resources.

Rodriguez repeated a call to end US sanctions against the South American country.

Relations appear to be warming between the US and Venezuela after Washington forcibly seized President Nicolas Maduro in a raid ​on Caracas earlier this year. The Trump administration has since been working with Rodriguez and is looking to expand US presence in Venezuela's oil ‌and mining sectors.

Rodriguez, who has supported recent legislative moves to allow for more private and foreign ‌investment in both sectors, said the government would create a commission ⁠to determine what assets ‌count as strategic for ​the state and that anyone calling for the privatization of state oil company PDVSA would be disappointed.