A British judge has denied a request to transfer $1 billion in gold for relief efforts to fight COVID-19 in Venezuela, arguing that the U.K. does not recognize Nicolás Maduro as the rightful leader of the South American country.
Justice Nigel Teare, a commercial judge on the High Court, ruled Thursday that since the U.K. government “has unequivocally recognised” opposition leader Juan Guaidó as president of Venezuela, there’s no room to recognise Maduro as “de facto president” and permit his government to use the funds.
