Key facts
- Venezuela requested the release of its frozen assets to fund earthquake recovery efforts.
- Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto cited illegal sanctions as the reason for asset freezes.
- The UK and US are among countries holding frozen Venezuelan assets.
- The UN launched an urgent appeal for €259 million for earthquake relief.
- The death toll from the earthquakes has risen to 3,685, with 17,000 injured.
Venezuela's government has called for the release of its frozen assets to aid in the recovery efforts following devastating twin earthquakes last month. Foreign Minister Yvan Gil Pinto urged countries holding blocked funds to initiate a plan for their release, stating these assets were frozen due to illegal sanctions. He specifically referenced gold held by the United Kingdom and finances frozen by the United States.
The US government has recently lifted some economic sanctions against Venezuela for a four-month period to facilitate relief operations. These sanctions were initially imposed to pressure the government of president Nicolás Maduro, whom the US had considered illegitimate. Ties have improved since the Trump administration took office, with the US supporting interim President Delcy Rodríguez and easing sanctions to allow for the development of Venezuela's oil reserves.
As international rescue teams conclude their search for survivors, families continue to scour the rubble for loved ones. The government has updated the death toll to 3,685, with nearly 17,000 people injured. The United Nations has launched an urgent appeal to raise €259 million ($296 million) for relief operations, aiming to assist 1.3 million people in need over six months. While $300 million has already been received, a significant funding gap of $627 million remains.