[Under Pressure from Trump, Venezuela's Inflation Soars to 556%] As U.S. President Trump intensifies financial isolation against Venezuela, the country's inflation rate has surged dramatically. A weekly index compiled by Bloomberg shows that Venezuela's inflation rate soared to 556% in the 12 months ending December 17, far exceeding the 219% recorded at the end of June and the annual rate of 45% for 2024. Since its launch in 2016, the index has repeatedly recorded annualized readings exceeding 100,000%. Currently, approximately 90% of private sector employees are paid in U.S. dollars.