They accused Nicolás Maduro of taking eight tons of gold from the Central Bank of Venezuela

CARACAS (Reuters) – According to lawmaker Ángel Alvarado and Venezuelan government sources, at least eight tons of gold left the coffers of the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) in government trucks to be sold outside from the country.

"They took gold in four vans through doors three and four of the bank, using an act dated last year to mislead," said Alvarado. He added without giving details about the alleged destination of the bars: "They intend to sell it smuggled out of the country".

The legislator denounced what happened last week, when there were no guard staff. In addition, he said the people involved were supported by government vehicles. Three other sources of government have also confirmed it. The transfer of bullion from the reserves and the lack of regular guards occurred just as Calixto Ortega, president of the Central Bank of Venezuela, was traveling. So far, BCV and the Ministry of Communications have made no statements.

The White House and dozens of countries have recognized the leader of the opposition

Juan Guaidó

as the legitimate President of Venezuela, considering that the President

Nicolás Maduro

He was reelected in elections without democratic guarantees and in which the main leaders of the opposition could not be presented.

United States

, seeking to financially close the Maduro administration, imposing sanctions and ordering international gold buyers to stop doing business with their government.

After this mandate, Abu Dhabi's Noor Capital, which had bought three tons of gold from the Central Bank of Venezuela in January, said it had not planned to buy more bars in Caracas as long as the situation would not have stabilized.

For its part, BCV had to suspend the sale of at least 15 tons of gold from its reserves to the United Arab Emirates, in exchange for one euro in cash to finance its imports, according to high sources of Venezuelan government.

Bullion sales are almost Maduro's only alternative for cash, given the decline in oil revenues and the closure of almost all international financing options due to the severe sanctions imposed by Washington to pressure for his removal from power.

About 20 tons of monetary gold were no longer in the hands of the issuer in 2018, according to the BCV balance sheets. By the end of the year, there were about 140 tonnes of gold in the reserves, the lowest volume in 75 years, according to official data.

At the Bank of England, there are 31 tons of additional gold from the Central Bank of Venezuela and it has taken steps to withdraw them. But the country's foreign minister, Jorge Arreaza, on Wednesday denounced the fact that the British entity maintains the badets of Venezuela blocked.