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Venezuela Picks Centerview for $150B Debt, Skips Bidding

5/28/2026

Summary

Story summary

Venezuela’s interim government appointed U.S. firm Centerview Partners as sovereign-debt adviser without competitive bidding.
Centerview will lead negotiations on Venezuela’s more than $150 billion of defaulted debt.
Former U.S. Latin America envoy Mauricio Claver-Carone advocated the selection and claims no financial interest.
Investors noted that Lazard, Rothschild and Alvarez & Marsal were not formally approached, an unusual practice.
The U.S. Treasury reimposed sanctions on rapporteur Francesca Albanese, limiting her banking and credit-card access.

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Story summary

Venezuela’s interim government appointed U.S. firm Centerview Partners as sovereign-debt adviser without competitive bidding.
Centerview will lead negotiations on Venezuela’s more than $150 billion of defaulted debt.
Former U.S. Latin America envoy Mauricio Claver-Carone advocated the selection and claims no financial interest.
Investors noted that Lazard, Rothschild and Alvarez & Marsal were not formally approached, an unusual practice.
The U.S. Treasury reimposed sanctions on rapporteur Francesca Albanese, limiting her banking and credit-card access.