Venezuela calls for the release of frozen assets to aid earthquake recovery efforts

The Venezuelan government called for the release of frozen assets on Wednesday to help raise funds needed for the country’s recovery from two earthquakes that struck last month that killed at least 3,600 people.

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“We call on all countries that currently hold frozen funds belonging to Venezuela to initiate a plan to release these funds so they can be used for recovery efforts,” Foreign Minister Iván Gil Pinto said at a meeting of UN officials and partners.

He added: “There are accounts belonging to the Venezuelan state in various parts of the world that have been frozen as a result of illegal sanctions.”

Gill pointed to gold held by the United Kingdom and funds frozen by the United States.

The US government has already lifted a number of economic sanctions imposed on Venezuela for four months to facilitate relief operations.

Washington imposed comprehensive economic sanctions on Venezuela, especially from 2019 onwards, in an attempt to pressure the leftist government of President Nicolas Maduro, which the United States considered illegitimate.

Since US forces ousted Maduro in January, relations with Caracas have improved.

The Trump administration supported interim President Delcy Rodriguez and gradually eased sanctions, especially to facilitate the development of Venezuela’s huge oil reserves.

Nearly two weeks after the 7.3 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes, international rescue teams have ended their attempts to find survivors as families comb through the rubble searching for the bodies of their loved ones.

The government updated the death toll on Tuesday to 3,685 and said nearly 17,000 had been injured.

Urgent call

Meanwhile, the United Nations launched an urgent appeal on Wednesday to raise $296 million (€259 million) for earthquake relief operations.

There is a huge humanitarian need after one of the worst seismic disasters in Latin America left thousands of people homeless and thousands more are still missing, especially in the badly damaged La Guaira area, where families are still digging through the rubble.

“Donors are already stepping up their efforts, and I commend them and thank them,” UN Humanitarian Coordinator Tom Fletcher said during a meeting on the disaster.

“Based on the tracking system, Venezuela’s response has already received $300 million (€263 million) and I appreciate every dollar of that support, including $115 million (€100 million) received before the earthquake. This now leaves us with a funding gap of $627 million (€549 million) to meet those urgent needs.”

“We have a clear plan. $296 million is needed to reach 1.3 million people with social and economic needs now over six months. It is a time-bound plan.”

Additional sources: Agence France-Presse

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