Venezuela's Maduro has asked central bank head to step down

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Friday asked central bank head Nelson Merentes to step down, two sources close to the matter told Reuters. "The request for him to step down was made this afternoon," said one of the sources linked to the government.
It was not immediately clear why Merentes, a mathematician by training who has led the bank since 2009 except during a stint as Finance Minister in 2013, was asked to leave or who might replace him. Venezuela's central bank and Information Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.