U.S. Issues A License That Authorizes Sales Of Venezuelan Gold
By: FATIMA HUSSEIN and REGINA GARCIA CANO (Associated Press via HuffPost)
CONQUISTIDOR DIPLOMACY
Interesting that the 'license' bans Russia, Iran, North Korea and Cuba but no mention of China.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Mar 6, 2026 --
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. issued a license Friday that authorizes dealings with Minerven, Venezuela's state-owned gold mining company, in the latest sign of the Trump administration's intent to exercise more control over that country's natural resources.
The license was issued after U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum met in Venezuela with acting President Delcy Rodriguez this week, as well as with representatives of more than two dozen U.S. mining and minerals companies. Many of them previously operated in Venezuela.
Burgum said Venezuela's government gave security assurances to mining companies interested in investing in the country, where mineral-rich areas have long been controlled by guerrilla members, gangs and other illegal groups.
Under the license, people and companies from Russia, Iran, North Korea and Cuba are not authorized to engage in any contracts with Minerven.
The Trump administration seeks to defend against China's hold on critical minerals, some of which are abundant in Venezuela. The license seeks to advance the administration's plan to turn around the long-troubled country following the capture by U.S. forces of then-President Nicolas Maduro two months ago.
On another natural-resources front, the U.S. moved recently to take legal ownership of a sanctioned tanker and nearly 2 million barrels of petroleum seized off the coast of Venezuela in December. In January, Rodriguez signed a law that opened Venezuela's oil sector to privatization.
Garcia Cano reported from Caracas, Venezuela.
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Grifting off the United States is no longer adequate. We've entered the new/old age of global grifting.
Venezuela does all the productive work. Trump just skims off the top. Is that what makes America exceptional?
It seems no one cares.
The first thing I thought of when I heard this nonsense.
To whom?
Good question.
It would seem like we would want to know that before we made a decision about whether this was a good or bad thing.
Why? The point of the article is that the Trump administration has claimed control of Venezuelan natural resources. So your question should be directed toward Trump. Venezuela doesn't appear to have any authority to bargain over operators, delivery schedules, prices, or customers. Trump really is implementing conquistador diplomacy.
Also similar to Trump offering the oil aboard all sea going vessels available to sell to India regardless of their manifests or flags.
Also similar to Trump trying to tell Iran who is acceptable as a leader (again).
Sad.
Because it's kinda stupid to jump to conclusions on 5% of the facts. Or 1%. We don't even know how much we don't know.
It's the Huffington Post. The point is "everything America does is awful and you should hate your country".
How exactly do we know who has claimed control over what if we don't know who has the license, what the terms are, what it allows them to do, for how long, and to what extent?
If he was here, I'd ask him.
Where does it say that?
Maybe. Or maybe not. There sure as hell isn't enough information in this article to know.
The "To whom?" question is intended to be a distraction. We definitely know the "from whom" with certainty. "From whom" is not a speculation.
It's the Associated Press republished by HuffPo.
Are we supposed to simply ignore when America does a bad thing? President Trump has not formally declared Venezuela a protectorate of the United States. America attacking a sovereign country for the purpose of plundering that country is a violation of international law. Trump has led the US into committing a crime. Don't confuse Trump with America.
OOPS!
*eyeroll*
Of course not. But we are supposed to at least attempt to figure out WTF is happening before declaring it good or bad.
That's good. I'm pretty sure the president doesn't have that authority.
America using force to extract a fugitive from a foreign country is not. Or at least it wasn't when we got bin Laden. Or Noriega.
Possibly so. I'm just not sure this is it.