Venezuela Seeks Release of Seized Overseas Assets for Post-Quake Reconstruction

Venezuela has called for the unfreezing of overseas assets that it says have been seized, so the funds can be used for reconstruction after major earthquakes. According to Jin10, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said at a news conference in Caracas on July 11 that two strong earthquakes on June 24 had killed 4,333 people and injured 16,740. Rodriguez said reconstruction would be extremely costly, adding that about 25,000 homes still needed repairs. He said Acting President Delcy Rodriguez was working to secure the release of Venezuela’s assets held abroad, including Venezuela’s gold reserves frozen at the Bank of England, for use in post-disaster rebuilding.