CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Key Venezuelan opposition leaders are urging the Bank of England not to hand over $550 million worth of gold reserves requested by President Nicolas Maduro.
A letter sent Friday to the bank says Maduro’s government would steal the 14 tons of gold or use it to oppress and kill Venezuelans.
The letter is from former National Assembly President Julio Borges and opposition party leader Carlos Vecchio, both living in exile.
Critics accuse Maduro of draining the country’s gold reserves to make up for plummeting crude production in the once-wealthy oil nation. The government has been repatriating gold reserves since 2012.
The letter notes that the United Kingdom and United States both consider Maduro’s government illegitimate.
The Bank of England and Venezuela communications ministry didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
