U.S. takeover of Venezuela's gold industry advances via Trafigura

Trafigura to Help Venezuela's Minerven Develop a Responsible Gold-Sourcing Program By Polina Devitt Reuters Monday, March 16, 2026 LONDON -- Trafigura will work with Venezuela's state gold miner Minerven to develop a responsible sourcing ‌program as part of its pre-payment deal for gold dore, a semi-pure alloy, the Swiss commodity trader said. The Washington-backed overhaul of Venezuela's gold sector is the second major initiative by the government of acting President Delcy ​Rodriguez, who took power after the U.S. ouster of President Nicolas Maduro in January, and ​has pushed through a sweeping oil reform meant to stoke foreign investment. ... Dispatch continues below ... ... ADVERTISEMENT ... Bullion Star Opens in the U.S., Selling and Vaulting Gold and Silver Bullion Star is now open in the United States, offering gold and silver bullion at extremely competitive prices with free delivery. Bullion Star also offers customers a year of free vault storage along with free delivery as well as storage in its secure precious metals vault in Dallas, Texas. Storing precious metals is challenging. Homeowner's insurance seldom covers precious metals, and safe deposit boxes offered by banks are neither insured nor covered by the government deposit insurance. Bullion Star's vault is an independently run, Class III UL-rated vault with uncompromising surveillance and round-the-clock security. With Bullion Star you can transact and store your metals securely and confidentially. Your bullion is fully insured against all risks at full replacement value. Bullion Star uses five audit methods to verify the existence and correctness of your stored bullion. For more information, please visit: https://www.bullionstar.us/ The U.S. moved to ⁠allow purchases of gold produced by sanctions-hit and cash-strapped Minerven, its subsidiaries, and Venezuela's government ​in early March. The licence allows deliveries to the U.S. for refining. Trafigura, also involved in Venezuela's ​oil-trading pact with the U.S., agreed to purchase and sell gold dore produced only by Minerven-owned operations, the Swiss trader told Reuters, adding that deliveries would be made in compliance with labour laws and other regulations. ... ... For the remainder of the report: https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/land-use-biodiversity/trafigura-help-venezuelas-minerven-develop-responsible-gold-sourcing-programme-2026-03-16/ * * * Support GATA by purchasing Stuart Englert's "Rigged" "Rigged" is a concise explanation of government's currency market rigging policy and extensively credits GATA's work exposing it. Ten percent of sales proceeds are contributed to GATA. Buy a copy for $14.99 through Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rigged-Exposing-Largest-Financial%20-History/dp/1651405204/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_2?keywords=rugged+stuart+englert&qid=1579708888&sr=8-2-fkmr1 * * * Help keep GATA going: GATA is a civil rights and educational organization based in the United States and tax-exempt under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Its e-mail dispatches are free, and you can subscribe at: http://www.gata.org To contribute to GATA, please visit: http://www.gata.org/node/16 Donations of $500 or more will entitle the donor to a 1-ounce silver round commemorating GATA's work: https://www.gata.org/sites/default/files/GATA-silver-round-front.png