Overview
- Venezuela’s IBC index jumped 50% on Tuesday to close near 3,896.77, taking early‑2026 gains to more than 100%.
- The rally followed the Jan. 3 operation that led to Maduro’s arrest, with reports he is expected to face trial in the United States on narco-terrorism and related charges.
- U.S. officials outlined an arrangement allowing up to $2 billion of Venezuelan crude exports to American buyers, and President Donald Trump cited a potential 30–50 million barrels.
- Venezuelan sovereign and PDVSA bonds climbed on expectations of sanctions relief and debt restructuring, while global crude prices edged lower and resource-linked shares gained.
- Analysts flagged the Caracas market’s thin liquidity—roughly 15 listed firms with under $1 million in daily trading—warning that the outsized moves may prove volatile.