Nicolás Maduro announces the increase of the “Comprehensive Minimum Income” at a Gran Misión Vivienda event on April 30, 2025. Photo: Presidential Press / Eduardo Hueck.
Guacamaya, April 30, 2025. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro announced on Wednesday an increase in the “Ingreso Mínimo Integral” or “Comprehensive Minimum Income” (IMI) from 130 to 160 U.S. dollars—according to the official exchange rate—on the occasion of Labor Day.
This monthly payment includes the “Economic War Bonus,” now valued at 120 dollars instead of 90, and the “Cestaticket” (food voucher) worth 40 dollars. The amount is paid in bolívars based on the Central Bank of Venezuela’s exchange rate, putting recipients at an economic disadvantage due to the rising informal market exchange rate, known as the “parallel dollar.”
Since Maduro assumed the presidency in 2013, it has been customary to raise the minimum wage and public sector salaries every May 1. However, this practice has been replaced by increases in the IMI, alongside salary bonuses in Venezuela, which also affect the private sector.
The president referred to this increase as “a precious adjustment.” The announcement was made during a Gran Misión Vivienda (Great Housing Mission) event.
Maduro also announced a pension increase to 50 dollars per month—also pegged to the official exchange rate—and the creation of a “unified protection bonus for working families,” which would benefit 5 million families.
The minimum wage has remained at 130 bolívars per month since March 2022. At an exchange rate of 87 bolívars per dollar, this amounts to just 1.49 dollars.
Bonuses are not subject to the same contractual conditions as wages. The latter factor into pension calculations and are often multiplied in months like December. By keeping the minimum wage low, both the public and private sectors can reduce labor costs in an economic climate that remains unfavorable for workers.
