The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela informs that, in the city of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, an agreement was subscribed between Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA, S.A) and PATSA, LTD, corresponding to a succesful transfer of 49% of its stock ownership in the REFINERÍA DOMINICANA DE PETROLEO PDV, S.A. (REFIDOMSA) to the Dominican State, in exchange for the foreign currency debt, issued by PDVSA and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

As a result of this transaction, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and PDVSA were able to reduce their public external debt, and the Dominican State becomes the only shareholder of REFIDOMSA, an operation performed by PATSA LTD (a subsidiary of Risek Group), which enabled the operation.

For the first time in history, the unilateral coercive and criminal measures imposed by the United States of America prevented the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and PDVSA to fulfill the financial obligations with many creditors. This transaction is a sample of the strong intention and compromise by the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and PDVSA to fulfill their contractual obligations, despite the foreign criminal restrictions and, at the same time, their will to negotiate and commit themselves with the creditors, in order to re- structure their debts, respecting the rights and interests of all parties, to benefit the economy and the Venezuelan people.

As President Nicolás Maduro has expressed, Venezuela will become in the next years "a land for economy investments". Venezuela aims at sharing this future vision with every economy actor and investor by means of an open, diverse and productive economy thus generating the highest level of stability, well-being and happiness to the Venezuelan people. Venezuela will always follow the path of its national independence, and will defend, by all means, the rights of its Republic and its people.

About PDVSA

Petróleos de Venezuela S.A., the state-owned corporation of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is responsible for the efficient, profitable, and dependable exploration, production, refining, transport and commerce of hydrocarbons. This company is deeply committed to environmental protection and its main objectives are to foster the harmonic development of the country, to guarantee sovereignty of national resources, to increase endogenous development and to serve and benefit the Venezuelan people, who correspond to their share of the country’s national wealth.