Overview
- Vice president-elect Edman Lara said Rodrigo Paz no longer answers his calls and warned him not to become “drunk with power,” claiming some actors want to sideline his authority.
- PDC figures moved to cool tensions, with deputy-elect Claudia Bilbao calling Lara’s charge a presumption and adviser José Luis Lupo saying Lara will play a key coordinating role with the legislature.
- Paz is organizing meetings in Washington with the US government and multilateral lenders including the World Bank, IDB, CAF and IMF to secure financing and replenish depleted reserves.
- The incoming administration cites urgent goals to ease dollar scarcity and fuel shortages in an economy where annual inflation topped 23% and subsidies drained foreign currency holdings.
- Paz said he will not invite the leaders of Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua to his November 8 swearing-in, ALBA suspended the next administration’s participation, and Paz posted that Nicolás Maduro does not represent democratic values.