Venezuela’s monthly inflation rate eased to 10.6% in April, down from 13.1% in March, the country's central bank said on Monday. The institution added that inflation through the early months of 2026 has reached 90%.
Using the central bank's figures as the basis for an annualized calculation produces a rate of 611.86%, the statement said. The central bank's acting president, Luis Perez, reiterated confidence in the official statistics and forecast that inflation would fall to single digits in May.
In comments on state television, Perez said the economy is healthy and performing well. He directly addressed concerns about the credibility of published numbers, asserting that the bank does not alter data to present a rosier picture. "We don't cook the books," he said.
Perez also confirmed a personnel decision tied to Venezuela's recent diplomatic and financial moves. Since resuming relations with the International Monetary Fund last month, the government has named current Vice President for Economic Affairs Calixto Ortega as its representative, or governor, to the IMF, Perez said.
Context and implications
The central bank's report provides the primary official snapshot of price developments for April, together with cumulative and annualized metrics derived from those figures. The acting president's public defense of the data speaks to sensitivity around statistical credibility. The appointment of a senior economic official as the country's IMF governor accompanies the stated thaw in relations between Caracas and the IMF.
What remains clear from the published figures:
- Monthly inflation: 10.6% in April, down from 13.1% in March.
- Cumulative inflation in 2026 to date: 90%.
- Annualized inflation based on the central bank's figures: 611.86%.
Officials have signaled an expectation of further deceleration, with a prediction of single-digit inflation for May. At the same time, the high annualized figure highlights the persistent scale of price pressures when projected over a full year using the available data.
Reporting note: The central bank provided the numerical series cited above and the acting president delivered the quoted remarks on state television.