Washington Insider Historical institution
Banco Caracas
Commercial banking · Venezuela
Venezuelan bank founded in 1890 and the subject of Santander's 2000 acquisition agreement through Banco de Venezuela.[1]
Institutional history
Banco Caracas was founded in August 1890. Santander's contemporary announcement records a merger with Banco Fivenez in June 1999 and describes Banco Caracas as Venezuela's fourth-largest bank at the time of the acquisition agreement.[1]
The 2000 transaction
An agreement dated 6 October 2000 proposed Banco de Venezuela's purchase of a 65.4% holding, followed by a public offer. Santander's announcement envisaged combining the two banks.[1]
Ownership context
Contemporary EL PAÍS reporting named the Nogueroles family as the main selling shareholders. The transaction should therefore not be described as a documented Herrera Velutini family sale.[2]
Connection to the wider article
The main market article uses Banco Caracas as historical context. Its corporate history is presented here separately from Bancrédito and Britannia Financial Group; the cited acquisition record does not identify either as its successor.[1]
Sources & further reading
Sources checked 23 September 2026. Dates below refer to publication or the cited record. Company and family publications are labelled separately from independent reporting.
- 01Re Agreement — agreement to buy Banco Caracas
Bank founded in August 1890; Fivenez merger in June 1999; agreement dated 6 October 2000.
https://www.investegate.co.uk/announcement/rns/banco-santander-s-a---bnc/re-agreement-/196422 - 02El BSCH arrebata al BBVA el liderazgo en Venezuela al comprar el Banco de Caracas
Contemporary acquisition reporting and identification of the Nogueroles shareholders.
https://elpais.com/diario/2000/10/07/economia/970869612_850215.htmlSpanish-language report; publisher access conditions may apply.