The UK government has indicated it will continue to block the return of Venezuela's $4.8 billion in gold reserves, even after the dramatic arrest of the country's autocratic ruler, Nicolas Maduro. Speaking to lawmakers, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper suggested London would not recognize the new leadership in Caracas, meaning the Bank of England will likely maintain its hold on the nation's gold. The Bank of England has stored 31 metric tons of Venezuelan gold in its London vaults since 2008. The ownership of these reserves has been the subject of a fierce legal dispute since 2020. The conflict began when the ... (full story)