Venezuela requests King Charles III to unblock 30 tons of gold blocked in the United Kingdom

Delcy Rodriguez, the interim president of Venezuela, has submitted a request to King Charles III for the release of approximately 30 tons of Venezuelan gold, held in the United Kingdom due to sanctions imposed on Caracas.

In a televised statement, Rodriguez emphasized that the gold belongs to the Venezuelan people and is necessary to cope with the devastating consequences of the double earthquake on June 24, which caused over 3,800 deaths. Foreign Minister Yvan Gil also requested the release of all globally blocked assets following the earthquake.

The gold has been stored in the Bank of England's vaults since the 1980s, but Venezuela's access has been restricted since 2018, further complicating in 2019 when the British government recognized the opposition led by Juan Guaidó. This situation has led to litigation in court regarding the control of the Central Bank of Venezuela's external assets, and British authorities have maintained the blockade citing disputes over the legitimacy of Maduro's government.