Antonio Ecarri defends dollarization after his removal and says Steve Hanke will come to Venezuela

Lawmaker Antonio Ecarri defended at a press conference his proposal to dollarize the economy, which he is working on with economist Steve Hanke, and said Hanke will visit the country, without giving a date, EFE reported. He denied using the U.S. friendship group to promote it; Jorge Rodríguez removed him citing a violation of Article 318 of the Constitution, according to VPItv.

Vladimir Villegas called the removal a punishment that shows authoritarianism. David Placeres argued the dollarization decision will be made at the U.S. Treasury Department, not in the National Assembly.

«Dollarization is an idea I have held since 2014 in Venezuela»— Antonio Ecarri, August 24, 2026 · watch

«That is a sign of the authoritarianism we still have in the bones of our republic»— Vladimir Villegas, August 24, 2026 · watch