(Updates with IMF response) CARACAS, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Venezuela’s central bank on Friday published data showing that its international reserves have jumped to a five-year high of nearly $11.3 billion. The South American nation’s reserves rose by $5.1 billion on Wednesday, according to a spreadsheet published on the central bank’s website that tracks daily reserve movements. That increase was removed from the spreadsheet around mid-day but restored by the afternoon. It was not immediately evident where the funds came from. The central bank did not reply to a request for comment. The International Monetary Fund’s website shows that Venezuela in August received an allocation of around 3.5 billion Special Drawing Rights, the IMF’s unit of exchange that is backed by dollars, euros, yen, sterling and yuan. Those SDRs were worth $5.08 billion at the SDR exchange rate on Aug. 31. But the IMF says the government of President Nicolas Maduro does not have access to these resources due to a dispute over his legitimacy. “There remains lack of clarity in the international community regarding the recognition of the de facto government, as a consequence of which the country cannot access SDRs or other IMF resources,” an IMF spokesperson said in response to questions. The United States and dozens of other nations in 2019 recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the country’s legitimate president, as part of a failed effort to push Maduro from power. (Reporting by Mayela Armas, Brian Ellsworth and Deisy Buitrago in Caracas; Additional reporting by Rodrigo Campos in New York; Editing by Daniel Wallis) Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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