SOS Orinoco@SOSOrinoco
SOSOrinoco | PRESS RELEASE
Transparency Urged as U.S. Considers Venezuelan Gold Deal Amid Active Sanctions
Caracas / Washington, D.C. — March 5, 2026
SOSOrinoco today called for full transparency from the United States government after reports that Venezuela’s state mining company Minerven may supply up to 1,000 kilograms of gold doré bars to commodities trader Trafigura, with the metal reportedly destined for U.S. refineries.
The reports surfaced as U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum @SecretaryBurgum concluded a visit to Caracas promoting rapid investment in Venezuela’s critical minerals sector.
SOSOrinoco warns that any deal involving Venezuelan gold must be subject to strict scrutiny. Gold from southern Venezuela has long been linked to illegal mining, environmental devastation, and organized crime networks operating in the Orinoco Mining Arc.
Crucially, U.S. sanctions targeting Venezuela’s gold sector—implemented by the U.S. Department of the Treasury through its Office of Foreign Assets Control—remain in force. These measures were originally imposed during the administration of Donald Trump to prevent Venezuela’s gold trade from financing corruption and repression under Nicolás Maduro.
“Venezuela is emerging from decades of opaque and criminal governance,” said Cristina Burelli, executive director of SOSOrinoco. “If Venezuelan gold is now entering international markets with U.S. participation, Venezuelans and the international community deserve full disclosure—dollar for dollar and kilogram for kilogram.”
Two urgent questions must be answered publicly:
Gold sourcing: Where exactly is the gold being supplied by Minerven coming from? Much of Venezuela’s production originates in illegal operations in protected areas such as Canaima National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site devastated by mercury contamination, deforestation, and incursions into Indigenous territories.
Supply chain transparency: Which U.S. refineries will process the gold, and what traceability mechanisms will ensure compliance with sanctions, environmental protections, and international human rights standards?
In a The Washington Post opinion article published today, Francisco Dallmeier and Cristina Burelli warn that Venezuela’s illicit mining economy poses a strategic risk: it poisons rivers, finances armed groups including the National Liberation Army (ELN), and feeds high-risk minerals into opaque global trading hubs.
SOSOrinoco stresses that Venezuela possesses immense mineral wealth, but responsible development must begin with full transparency, strict environmental safeguards, and respect for Indigenous rights.
“Mining cannot be treated like Venezuela’s oil sector,” Burelli said. “Without transparency and traceability from the outset, the world risks financing the same criminal networks Venezuela is trying to dismantle.”
The world is watching. @WhiteHouse @StateDept @TheJusticeDept @usembassyve
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