Venezuela appeals to King Charles for release of $2 billion gold reserves at Bank of England

Venezuela's interim President Delsi Rodríguez sent a letter to King Charles III requesting the release of the country's gold reserves blocked at the Bank of England for post-earthquake reconstruction.

Scraper SystemJuly 09, 2026, 10:49 AM

Venezuela appeals to King Charles for release of $2 billion gold reserves at Bank of England

The Venezuelan government appealed directly to the British throne for the return of national assets frozen in the UK. In a letter addressed to King Charles III, interim President Delsi Rodríguez requested the return of approximately $2 billion in gold reserves held at the Bank of England.

In a statement to state television VTV, Rodríguez highlighted the devastation caused by two major earthquakes in Venezuela. "This gold belongs to our people and must be used to address the terrible and tragic consequences of the double earthquake," she said.

Stressing that Venezuela needs these resources to accelerate recovery, boost employment, and rebuild the education system, Rodríguez also said she had a phone call with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva about releasing the country's frozen funds.

Rodríguez also called on domestic and foreign companies to build new homes "actively and quickly" to replace those destroyed in the earthquake. She announced that the timeline for the relevant projects would be disclosed soon.

Venezuela's assets abroad remain blocked due to ongoing international sanctions. According to national media reports, these assets include the gold reserves at the Bank of England as well as the assets of Citgo, the US subsidiary of state oil company PDVSA. Although the US has recently eased some sanctions, financial restrictions on Venezuela continue.

A group of 113 people, including economists and scientists, called on the US to lift sanctions on Venezuela. The same group also urged the IMF to facilitate the country's access to international financial resources to cope with the emergency.

Venezuela appeals to King Charles for release of $2 billion gold reserves at Bank of England