“This is not a trial on the entire Venezuelan judicial system, but only on five decisions,” Richard Lissack, a lawyer for the Maduro government, defended in his opening statement.
The Venezuelan State and the opposition have been facing each other since 2019 over access to 32 tons of goldvalued at more than 1,000 million dollars, guarded for years in the vaults of the Bank of England, which offers this service to multiple countries.
This is “half” of Venezuela’s reserves abroad, according to the defense attorney.
Three years of bidding for gold
In July 2019, Guaidó, self-proclaimed “president in charge” of Venezuela and recognized as such by fifty countries -including the United Kingdom-, appointed a parallel leadership of the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV).
Immediately, that parallel direction ordered the Bank of England not to deliver the bullion to the official board of directors of the BCV, chaired by Calixto Ortegastating that the government would use the funds to repress the population.
Guaidó was then president of the National Assembly elected in 2015, but her appointments were invalidated by the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) Venezuelan, loyal to Maduro.
The British justice decided last December that it effectively recognizes Guaidó as the legitimate and sole representative of Venezuela as decided by the Executive, the London Supreme Court ordered, however, to analyze whether the Venezuelan judicial decision invalidates his appointments in the direction of the BCV.
If control is given to the opposition, the funds “would be lost for the Venezuelan people,” Lissack denounced on Monday before the judge. Sarah Cockerillof the London commercial court, who will hear arguments and witnesses from both sides until Monday.
Ortega traveled to London to witness the trial, after obtaining a “diplomatic visa” which, according to Lissack, reinforces his legitimacy as the official representative of the Central Bank of Venezuela.
However, despite being present in court on Wednesday, he will not be questioned by decision of the magistrate, who in June decided to limit his participation to a prior written statement.
Source: Ambito
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