U.S. Issues A License That Authorizes Sales Of Venezuelan Gold
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States issued a license Friday allowing a deal with Venezuela’s state-owned gold mining company Minerven; It was the latest sign that the Trump administration intends to exert greater control over the nation’s natural resources.
The license was issued after U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum met in Venezuela with Acting President Delcy Rodríguez this week, also with representatives from more than two dozen U.S. mining and mineral companies. Many of them previously operated in Venezuela.
Burgum said Venezuelan government It offered security assurances to mining companies seeking to invest in the country, where mineral-rich regions have long been controlled by guerrilla members, gangs and other illegal groups.
Under the license, individuals and companies from Russia, Iran, North Korea and Cuba are not authorized to make any contracts with Minerven.
Trump administration seeks defense against this in china’s hands Some are on critical minerals that are abundant in Venezuela. The license aims to advance the administration’s plan to recover the long-troubled country. Capture by US forces two months ago by then-President Nicolás Maduro.
On another natural resources front, the United States recently moved to take legal ownership of a sanctioned tanker and nearly 2 million barrels of oil were seized off the coast of Venezuela in December. In January, Rodríguez signed a law opening Venezuela’s oil sector to privatization.
Garcia Cano reported from Caracas, Venezuela.
