Venezuela extracted 9.5 tons of gold in 2025 and aims to surpass that number in 2026, indicated this Monday the acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, who holds the position following the capture of Nicolás Maduro on January 3 by the United States. During a broadcast on the state channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), Rodríguez reported that gold extraction grew by 34.8% in the private sector and by 81% in the public sector, without providing further details on the figures. Additionally, she anticipates a 30% increase for this year and expects the Parliament to approve an Organic Law of Mines and Minerals that "allows the capture of important international investment flows and that this international investment is accompanied by joint work with Venezuelan companies." Rodríguez specified that in Venezuela, gold "maintains the external service" and finances Venezuelan athletes so they can attend international competitions, among other things. On the other hand, she reported that Venezuela had the highest iron export in the last 10 years in the last quarter of 2025, without detailing the figure, and expects an increase of more than 50% in 2026, as well as receiving national and international investment. As for coal, she said that the production of this mineral grew by 260% last year, without specifying the data, and a projection of more than 100% is expected for this 2026. "This is Venezuela's path, it is the path where we preserve peace, where we consolidate economic stability, where we seek integration and social justice," she assured. Last Friday, Rodríguez exhibited the first advances of her economic strategy, with the consolidation of the first contract for the export of liquefied petroleum gas and the promise to inject foreign exchange into the banking system. The day before, the Chavista leader presented three proposals before the Parliament, among which a reform to the 'Organic Hydrocarbons Law' and a law to simplify and facilitate procedures stand out.
