The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela announces today its decision to initiate a comprehensive restructuring of its external public debt obligations. CONTEXT & RATIONALE Over the past decade, Venezuela's economy has been severely impacted by external shocks – from the end of the commodity super-cycle to foreign sanctions and COVID-19 – resulting in a sharp economic contraction, a protracted default since 2017, and a ballooning of public sector liabilities. The country nonetheless posse...