’s president, Nicolás Maduro, on Wednesday devalued the currency by 37 percent and raised fuel prices for the first time in 17 years. The measures are meant to help shore up the nation’s finances as dropping oil prices and a collapsing state-led economic model have left the country with a severe recession, high inflation and product shortages. The price of premium gasoline will rise to 6 bolívars from 0.097 bolívars a liter, but fuel is so heavily subsidized that filling up a small car will still cost about 23 cents, based on the black market exchange rate.