Armed guerrilla groups entrenched in southern Venezuela continue to control vast gold and coltan deposits despite Washington's efforts to reshape the country's political and economic landscape after Nicolás Maduro's capture on January 3, according to a new report.
The Trump administration has signaled interest in accessing Venezuela's critical minerals, including gold and coltan—used in cellphones and electric vehicles—as part of a broader strategy to reduce reliance on China. But experts warn that the mineral-rich states of Bolívar and Amazonas remain dominated by the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of Colombia's former FARC guerrillas.
