{
  "id": 9182920,
  "title": "IDB president says ‘we need to look’ at Venezuela",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/idb-president-says-we-need-to-look-at-venezuela",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-22T19:30:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Semafor",
    "slug": "semafor",
    "url": "https://www.semafor.com/article/09/22/2026/idb-president-says-we-need-to-look-at-venezuela"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ilan Goldfajn, president of the Inter-American Development Bank, stated on Tuesday that the institution is considering a return to Venezuela after a decade-long absence, though it has not yet decided if the nation's unpaid debts would be absolved. Speaking at Semafor's The Next 3 Billion event, Goldfajn emphasized that the IDB must examine the situation in Venezuela and assess potential avenues for engagement with the Venezuelan populace. He added that preliminary discussions about a formal engagement plan are already in progress.\n\nWhen questioned about whether the IDB would seek repayment of Venezuela's outstanding debts, which total approximately $2 billion, Goldfajn merely stated that it was \"part of the conversation.\" The bank had ceased providing new loans to Venezuela in 2018 due to the nation's failure to meet its payment obligations. Any potential re-engagement, according to Reuters, would concentrate on the areas of electricity and social protection.\n\nThe recent takeover of Venezuela's presidency by Delcy Rodríguez, the former vice president, following the US military's capture of President Nicolás Maduro in January, has complicated Venezuela's governance. Rodríguez has since adjusted the country's foreign and economic policies in response to US pressure, prompting some foreign companies and firms to consider investing or expanding within Venezuela. However, the extent to which the US military operation will ultimately influence the country's trajectory toward democratic reform remains uncertain.\n\nGoldfajn, who also addressed the region's perspectives on artificial intelligence (AI) during his address, described the leaders he encountered during the UN General Assembly as \"hopeful but with eyes wide open\" regarding the rapid advancements in the technology. He cautioned, however, that Latin American leaders are acutely aware of the risks involved in falling significantly behind in AI adoption and development. \"We are not even in the race,\" Goldfajn remarked, encapsulating the sentiments of the leaders he had conversed with on the subject.",
  "summary": "Ilan Goldfajn said Caracas’ unpaid debts would be ‘part of the conversation.’",
  "key_points": [
    "IDB president Ilan Goldfajn says IDB may revisit Venezuela after decade-long absence",
    "Unpaid debts of about $2 billion are part of the conversation",
    "Engagement plan focuses on electricity and social protection"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}