The UK’s central bank holds nearly $2 billion in gold that belongs to the government of Venezuela. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro wants to access the gold, but the UK government refuses to hand it over since London recognizes Juan Guaido as president of Venezuela.
The UK supreme court opened a hearing on the matter on Monday, and London reaffirmed its recognition of Guaido. The court case is being fought between the board of the Central Bank of Venezuela that was appointed by Maduro and one appointed by Guaido.
“The UK recognizes Juan Guaidó as president of Venezuela and consequentially he is the only individual recognized to have the authority to act on behalf of Venezuela as its head of state,” the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in a statement.
The US, UK, and other allies first recognized Guaido as interim president of Venezuela in January 2019. Since then, Guaido has lost what little support he had in Venezuela and has become increasingly irrelevant. In January of this year, after Guaido lost his seat in the National Assembly, the EU said it no longer recognizes him as president.
Washington’s regime change effort has been an utter failure. Besides the recognition of Guaido, which came along with a failed coup attempt, the US has also imposed a crippling sanctions regime on the country. While the pressure has done nothing to unseat Maduro, the sanctions have had a devastating impact on Venezuela’s civilian population.
Last week, the Biden administration recently took one small step to ease sanctions on Venezuela by allowing the country to import propane. But besides the propane move, President Biden is continuing the failed regime change policy of the Trump administration and recently reaffirmed the US’s recognition of Guaido.
The cat is out of the bag. Everybody knows representative democracies represent capital and are a capitalist tool for a paper thin minority managing the masses.
No country will ever again deposit gold for safe keeping in an English speaking country.
I just woke up from a 70 year nap and realized this established cookie cutter approach to changing foreign governments. I heard some call it, “regime change operations.” So, the “civilized” world inflicts pain, suffering, and death on innocent civilians just because they are ruled by “dictators?” Does that make sense to anyone? Am I really awake or is this a nightmare?
The Pirates of the Caribbean are Back….!
Guaido may be unknown and unelected in his own country, but he is our (West’s) choice for President of Venezuela.
Even Peru has defied us by electing a native peasant to lead the country.
We will see on the 28th. If Castillo does take office, there will likely eventuate another version of the response to Fidel, Allende, Chavez, Zelaya, Evo, …. That is presuming Castillo and his team actually have a programme for changing the paradigm.
The United Nations recognizes Maduro, seems rather dishonest for a British Judge to rule against world leaders.
US, UK at al must stop raping 3rd World nations of their resources then claim these countries can’t govern themselves, ie Haiti, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan etc.
$2bil in Gold might be reason enough to declare war on Maduro, who is the elected Pres since 2013 but the Gold belongs to Venezuela and they want their Gold back. South Africa’s Zumu helped steal Gaddafi’s Gold and now Libya is a total wreck.
US, UK and cohorts oughtn’t to start another war of attrition they can’t win and where the repercussion of these endless wars are coming home to bite them in the tuchas.