2016-12-23 Fri

Venezuela replaced the current 2008 series of banknotes with six new, higher-value denominations to stabilisethe economy. Inflation has made the denominations of the Fuerte (“strong”) Bolivar originally introduced in 2008, worthless. Six new denominations, from 500 to 20,000 Bolivares will soon be introduced with the same designs and personalities but with new colours and different security features. 10 and 50 Bolivares coins will also be replacing banknotes of the same value shortly. The 20,000 Fuerte Bolivar note will have an exchange rate of US$26, but will have a real worth of about $4.40.

The obverse of the 2016-series 500 Bolivares features a portrait of Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda and the reverse shows a freshwater dolphin. The obverse of the 2016-series 1,000 Bolivares features a portrait of Negro Primero and the reverse features a giant armadillo. The obverse of the 2016-series 2,000 Bolivares features the portrait of Cacique Guaicaipuro and the reverse depicts a harpy eagle. The obverse of the 2016-series 5,000 Bolivares features the portrait of Luisa Cáceres de Arismendi and the reverse depicts Macanao Mountains and the endangered tortuga carey. The obverse of the 2016-series 10,000 Bolivares features the philosopher, writer, and educator Simón Rodríguez and the reverse features a spectacled bear and the Laguna de Santo Cristo. The obverse of the 2016-series 20,000 Bolivares depicts the founding father Simón Bolívar and the reverse features the aboriginal bird siskin, with El Avila National Park, Caracas.