Gold Reserve Reports on Pending Settlement Payment from Venezuela

SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, December 16, 2016

Gold Reserve Inc. (TSX.V: GRZ) (OTCQB: GDRZF) (“Gold Reserve” or the “Company”) today reported that the government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has informed the Company that the payment of US$300 million that was due December 15, 2016 under the terms of the previously announced amended settlement agreement with the government is expected to be deposited in the Company’s bank accounts in the next few days. The Company will provide more information as it becomes available.

Further information regarding the Company can be located at www.goldreserveinc.com, www.sec.gov, and www.sedar.com.

Gold Reserve Inc. Contact
A. Douglas Belanger, President
926 W. Sprague Ave., Suite 200
Spokane, WA 99201 USA
Tel. (509) 623-1500
Fax (509) 623-1634

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable U.S. federal securities laws and “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian provincial and territorial securities laws and state Gold Reserve’s and its management’s intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations or predictions for the future including without limitation statements with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Settlement Agreement, as amended, and the development of the Brisas-Cristinas project. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies.

We caution that such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other risks that may cause the actual outcomes, financial results, performance, or achievements of Gold Reserve to be materially different from our estimated outcomes, future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by those forward-looking statements, including without limitation Venezuela’s ability to fund the contemplated payments to the Company pursuant to the Amended Settlement Agreement, the ability of Venezuela and the Company to arrange financing for the anticipated capital costs of the Brisas-Cristinas project and the risk that the development of the Brisas Cristinas project may not proceed as anticipated.

This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of Gold Reserve’s forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to Gold Reserve or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Gold Reserve disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of assumptions or factors, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, subject to its disclosure obligations under applicable rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and applicable Canadian provincial and territorial securities laws.

“Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.”