On July 27 Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro amended the plan to reopen the economy. Starting July 27 through August 1, the country is to be divided into three regions. There will be states in total lockdown, others with a degree of “partial” flexibilization,  and a last group with “greater” flexibilization. The Banking Sector Institutions Superintendency (Sudeban, in Spanish) published a resolution indicating that banks may operate in states in “partial” and “greater” flexibility. The Executive branch thus aims to tackle COVID-19 pandemic more efficiently.

In areas under total lockdown, such as the Capital District and Zulia state, only supermarkets and pharmacies are allowed to open. Meanwhile, the “partial” flexibilization regime also permits banks, doctors’ offices and the textile industry to operate for example, applicable in Aragua and Falcon states, among others. Finally, the “greater” flexibility adds car washes, shopping malls, sporting events with no public, and movie drive-ins, in force in Portuguesa and Amazonas states, among others.

It is important to note that the opening plan currently put in place by the Maduro administration stipulates seven days of lockdown across the whole country, followed by seven days of flexibilization. These stages are to alternate with each other successively,so that next week, the whole country is to be put back under total lockdown. The following week, the states defined by the Executive for partial and greater flexibilization may do so, etc.