For the fourth consecutive time, the interim government of Juan Guaidó, recognized in this way by at least 50 countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, won a victory against the regime of Nicolás Maduro in the London judicial system, where control of Venezuelan gold deposited in the Bank of England has been disputed for four years.
The Maduro government suffered a new setback after Judge Sara Cockerill, from the commercial division of the London High Court, ruled this Friday in favor of Guaidó and determined the validity of the board of directors that appointed the interim government for the Central Bank of Venezuela.
The English justice also ignored the judgments of the Supreme Court of Justice that they intended to annul the interim and the appointment of representatives of the highest financial institution in the country.
“The court of first instance decided that these sentences of the Supreme Court of Justice of Maduro cannot have any effect; that, in fact, they violated principles of natural justice, with which the victory of the interim government is confirmed, ”he explained to The National a source with extensive knowledge of the case.
What is being debated in London, he stressed, is who is the government of Venezuela.
It would take a year to dispose of the gold
Despite the fact that the British justice considered the board of directors of the Central Bank of Venezuela appointed by Guaidó valid, even the opponent’s team cannot access the reserves, valued at about 1,900 million dollars, because other processes must be concluded.
This case was initiated by the Venezuelan government. The source told this newsroom that the gold dispute is likely to end up in a Court of Appeal for a decision. “I am inclined to think that it will decide again in favor of the interim government”, he claimed.
After the Court of Appeal decides, he said, Maduro will exercise a new appeal before the Supreme Court of Justice of the United Kingdom. Therefore, due to the litigation that the ruling party will be attempting, the interim government of Guaidó will not be able to dispose of the reserves for at least a year.
“As there is still the trial of second instance and eventually the Supreme Court, it can be a year or so until the case is decided. But to all events the last thing I highlight to you, ”she indicated.
‘unfortunate’ decision
Maduro’s legal representative, Sarosh Zaiwalla, of the Zaiwalla and Co firm, called the decision “unfortunate” and confirmed that the Venezuelan issuer wants to appeal, reported the AFP news agency. In addition, he criticized that the British government recognizes Guaidó as head of state and gives him the power to dispose of assets.
The Maduro authorities allege that they need to have the reserves to attend to the health emergency generated by the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
The Central Bank of Venezuela rejected the ruling and described it as unusual.
“The Central Bank of Venezuela rejects the unusual pronouncement of a British court that, once again, subordinated to the foreign policy decisions of the British Crown, undermines the legitimate powers of administration of international reserves of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,” the institution said in a statement.
One more step in protection
For its part, Guaidó expressed that the decision represents one more step in the process of protecting international reserves of gold from Venezuela and its preservation. The opponent thanked the British judicial process and regretted that processes like that do not exist in Venezuela because the Maduro regime, he assured, is more interested in power and money.
“The decision of the United Kingdom justice, an impartial system and one of the strongest in the world, is a consequence of our democratic resistance, represented in the constitutional continuity of the National Assembly elected in 2015, of the government in charge and the work of the special prosecutor,” Guaidó said in a trill.
“It is also a product of the action of members of our diplomatic corps and the fight we have given in Venezuela. We reiterate our commitment to the defense of the assets of all Venezuelans and with achieving the most important objective we have: to recover democracy,” he added.
Delcy Rodríguez asks to “rectify”
Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s vice president, asked the British government to rectify and stop recognizing Guaidó as interim president.
“I make a call to the British government, they have the opportunity to correct, to resume a correct course attached to public international law in relation to Venezuela. They have to rectify and this is the opportunity. It is the message we give to the British government of do not continue with this antics of pretending that Juan Guaidó is president“, said.
Rodríguez, through a telephone contact by the state channel Venezolana de Televisión, assured that politically in Venezuela there will be justice. “There is going to be justice here for this criminal, extremist, fascist group, which has taken on the task of stealing the assets of the Venezuelan people,” he added.
