# US‑Venezuela resource control after quake crisis > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/us-dominance-over-venezuelas-resources > Updated: 2026-07-08T19:20:29.000Z. Sources: 51. Developments: 5. Since January 2026 the United States has kept control of Venezuela’s oil and gold assets after President Nicolás Maduro’s detention. U.S.-backed firms have moved about 100 million barrels of Venezuelan crude, while Congress seeks an audit of revenue flows. An interim administration led by former vice‑president Delcy Rodríguez has maintained the Chavista structure, opened talks with Washington and secured agreements on hydrocarbons, intelligence sharing and joint security. The Bank of England still holds pre‑2018 Venezuelan gold and more than 1,000 U.S. sanctions restrict the economy and humanitarian aid. Twin earthquakes on 24 June 2026 devastated the coast, killing at least 3,811 people, injuring roughly 16,740 and leaving about 17,900 homeless, affecting 1.3 million overall. Damage is estimated at US$6.7 billion (≈6 % of GDP). Rodríguez inspected over 2,000 tonnes of aid from 28 nations at La Carlota air base, set up a logistics platform, and created a special armed‑forces emergency unit to rebuild housing, infrastructure, education and social services in La Guaira and Caracas. Recovery reports show 96 % of electricity and 84 % of water services restored in La Guaira. On 8 July Rodríguez wrote to King Charles III asking the Bank of England to release roughly 30‑32 tonnes of frozen gold (valued near US$4 billion), stating the metal “belongs to our people” and is needed for reconstruction, employment and education. She also urged the IMF, led by Kristalina Georgieva, to unblock Venezuelan assets and called for a full lift of U.S. and other sanctions, including on Citgo. International aid continues, with a 40‑tonne food shipment from Costa Rica, Ecuador and Panama, additional supplies from Mexico, Starlink kits for communications, and a call for foreign firms to join a rapid‑build housing programme. ## Timeline ### 2026-07-08: Venezuela's interim president asks UK to release gold for quake aid Venezuela’s interim president asked King Charles III to free frozen gold to fund reconstruction after June’s deadly double quake, while the country recovers electricity, water and receives food aid from its Red 33 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/venezuela-presses-for-foreign-gold-release-and-inspects-2000-tons-aid-after-june-quakes ### 2026-06-24: Venezuela crisis deepens as US controls oil, gold and faces earthquake humanitarian demands US seized Venezuela’s oil, kept gold in the UK, installed a puppet interim president and faces criticism while earthquakes kill 188 and prompt limited US aid. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/venezuela-disputes-ukheld-gold-amid-us-sanctions ### 2026-06-19: Venezuelan Defense Minister Gustavo González López declares sovereignty non‑negotiable as US ties improve Venezuelan Defense Minister Gustavo González López said sovereignty is non‑negotiable as Washington and Caracas deepen talks after the U.S. capture of Nicolás Maduro. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/trump-claims-venezuela-now-a-happy-country-under-usbacked-administration ### 2026-06-19: Venezuelan Defense Minister Gustavo González López says sovereignty not negotiable Venezuelan Defense Minister Gustavo González López declared sovereignty non‑negotiable amid tighter US ties and recent joint security ops. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/venezuelan-defense-minister-gustavo-gonzlez-lpez-says-sovereignty-not-negotiable ### 2026-06-16: United States gains control over Venezuela's oil and gold assets The U.S. has taken control of Venezuela’s oil sales, gold reserves, and uranium, with American firms and officials backing the shift after Maduro’s kidnapping, culminating in a new oil deal with India. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/united-states-gains-control-over-venezuelas-oil-and-gold-assets --- Cite as: US‑Venezuela resource control after quake crisis. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/us-dominance-over-venezuelas-resources