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Venezuela demands return of gold reserves from Bank of England
Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, has formally demanded that the Bank of England return the country’s gold reserves, which have been frozen in London for over six years. The reserves, consisting of approximately 31 tonnes of gold valued at roughly $1.9 billion in 2023, were immobilized following the United Kingdom’s refusal to recognize Nicolás Maduro’s 2018 reelection and the subsequent recognition of Juan Guaidó as interim leader.
Rodríguez has ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Attorney General to initiate all necessary diplomatic and legal channels to secure the assets. She characterized the retention as an “illegitimate appropriation” of national resources. The recovery of these funds is a priority for the administration, with some discussions suggesting the resources could be used to assist victims of the earthquakes that occurred on June 24.
In a related cabinet reshuffle, Rodríguez appointed Oliver Blanco as the new Foreign Minister, replacing Félix Plasencia. Plasencia will transition to the role of Director of International Affairs for the Presidency, a position from which he is tasked with managing the strategic mission to recover the gold in the United Kingdom.
Entities
Bank of England · Central Bank of Venezuela · Delcy Rodríguez · Felix Plasencia · Juan Guaido · Nicolás Maduro · Oliver Blanco · United Kingdom · Venezuela
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 20 SOURCES] The UK did not recognize the 2018 reelection of Nicolás Maduro. www.nacion.com · sinmordaza.com · diarioparaguayo.com · www.cadenaoh.com.ar · nuevodia.com.ve · +12 more
- [● 16 SOURCES] The gold reserves are valued at approximately $1.9 billion. www.nacion.com · sinmordaza.com · diarioparaguayo.com · www.cadenaoh.com.ar · nuevodia.com.ve · +8 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] A joint commission was agreed upon on October 21 to manage the recovery of the gold with UK institutions. www.dominicanoshoy.com · elurbanoweb.com.ar · noticiasargentinas.com
- [● 27 SOURCES] Rodríguez ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Attorney General to take action to recover the gold. eldiarionica.com · noticiasaldiayalahora.co · www.dominicanoshoy.com · sinmordaza.com · www.tvn-2.com · +17 more
- [● 37 SOURCES] Delcy Rodríguez demanded the Bank of England return Venezuela's gold reserves. eldiarionica.com · noticiasaldiayalahora.co · www.nacion.com · www.dominicanoshoy.com · sinmordaza.com · +27 more
- [● 24 SOURCES] The gold has been frozen for more than six years. www.nacion.com · sinmordaza.com · www.tvn-2.com · www.cadenaoh.com.ar · nuevodia.com.ve · +16 more
- [● 16 SOURCES] The gold is intended to address the emergency caused by earthquakes on June 24. www.dominicanoshoy.com · sinmordaza.com · diarioparaguayo.com · www.cadenaoh.com.ar · es.euronews.com · +7 more
- [● 17 SOURCES] An agreement was reached in August to work toward recovering the gold to assist earthquake victims. www.dominicanoshoy.com · sinmordaza.com · www.tvn-2.com · diarioparaguayo.com · www.cadenaoh.com.ar · +8 more
- [● 9 SOURCES] Félix Plasencia will serve as the Director of International Affairs for the Presidency. eldinero.com.do · hch.tv · primeraedicioncol.com · rdnvenezuela.com · uruguayaldia.com.uy · +4 more
- [● 12 SOURCES] Oliver Blanco was appointed as the new Foreign Minister of Venezuela. eldinero.com.do · hch.tv · primeraedicioncol.com · rdnvenezuela.com · uruguayaldia.com.uy · +7 more