The government has announced the transformation of the National Bank into a Corporation through a decree. Opposition sectors express concern, suggesting that this measure is a first step towards its future privatization. So far, the vast majority of the National Bank's negotiable obligations are held by the National State. Despite the transformation into a Corporation, it has not yet been privatized nor has an initial public offering been planned.
It has been mentioned that the President of the National Bank, Daniel Tillard, will seek to increase financing to grant more credits. There is a debate about whether the privatization of the bank should go through Congress or if it is already operating as a private company in practice. Some officials suggest that the new status would allow for expanding credits to small and medium-sized enterprises.
The process to make the National Bank publicly traded is long and complex. Despite the intention to list on the New York Stock Exchange, no concrete details have been provided yet. The possibility that the State could relinquish 100% of its shares in the future has been mentioned, although there is currently no official confirmation. The total privatization process of the bank is at an initial stage and a series of legal and financial requirements must be met.
Reactions to this potential privatization vary: from the private sector expressing concern about investment to rumors about potential interested investors like BlackRock. It is expected that the process of transformation into a Corporation will influence the board and capital of the bank, and that the stock listing may not be a straightforward process. The future outlook of the National Bank is still uncertain and raises various opinions and speculations.
