The shrinking coffers mark a new low for Venezuela, where an economic crisis rooted in the collapse of its all-important oil industry has been exacerbated by wide-reaching U.S. sanctions that have cut the nation off from international capital markets. A shortage of cash could threaten the Maduro regime’s ability to continue food subsidy programs, import basic goods and maintain support from top military officials.Press officials for Venezuela’s central bank didn’t respond to requests for comment.

A significant chunk of Venezuela’s gold, 32 tons worth about $1.6 billion, remains in London after the Bank of England declined multiple requests from Maduro to repatriate the gold. While the central bank is independent, the U.K. government doesn’t recognize Maduro as the country’s legitimate leader and says his regime shouldn’t have access to overseas assets. …

… For the remainder of the report:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-17/venezuela-s-cash-hoar…

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Toast to a free gold market
with great GATA-label wine

Wine carrying the label of the Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee, cases of which were awarded to three lucky donors in GATA’s recent fundraising campaign, are now available for purchase by the case from Fay J Winery LLC in Texarkana, Texas. Each case has 12 bottles and the cost is $240, which includes shipping via Federal Express.

Here’s what the bottles look like:

http://www.gata.org/files/GATA-4-wine-bottles.jpg

Buyers can compose their case by choosing as many as four varietals from the list here:

http://www.gata.org/files/FayJWineryVarietals.jpg

GATA will receive a commission on each case of GATA-label wine sold. So if you like wine and buy it anyway, why not buy it in a way that supports our work to achieve free and transparent markets in the monetary metals?