Venezuela Guaido calls for halt to ‘blood gold’ flow

Venezuela’s National Assembly President and opposition leader Juan Guaido, who many nations have recognised as the country’s rightful interim ruler, delivers a special address during the 50th World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 23, 2020. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) – Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido said on Wednesday that the government needed to halt the illegal flow of gold out of the South American country and sanctions might be needed.

“The first thing to do is to stop the illegal traffic of gold. We need to protect indigenous population. It is blood gold,” Guaido said during an address to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

“Maybe there is a need for sanctions,” he said in comments relayed through an interpreter, adding that Venezuela’s neighbour Colombia was already helping.

Guaido said that other regional powers and the United States should also help to stem the flow of gold out of the country.