The investigation identified links between the gold supply chain and miners paying protection money to the Tren de Guayana gang, including contractors at the El Chocó mine now operated by Heeney Capital. This impasse follows a policy reversal by the Trump administration, which had previously blacklisted Venezuelan gold over these same criminal and corruption risks.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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US Refiners Block Hundreds of Millions in Venezuelan Gold Trump Once Blacklisted
Commodities22 days ago
The Trump administration opened new mining deals in Venezuela after Nicolas Maduro was removed from power to steer wealth away from adversaries. However, a New York Times investigation reveals that shipments valued at hundreds of millions of dollars are now stalled in American warehouses because processing plants refuse to certify that the metal is free from corruption, environmental abuses, and criminal financing.
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