AKP founding member asks: 'Is Maduro’s gold in Turkey?'

While the US intervention in Venezuela continues to be debated on a global scale, Emin Şirin, a founding member of the AKP and a 22nd-term deputy, who is one of the significant figures in Turkish domestic politics, has brought the issue to the agenda through the reserves in Turkey.

The operation launched by the US against Venezuela has reignited discussions over the "gold traffic" worth billions of dollars on the Ankara-Caracas line. Emin Şirin, one of the founding names of the AKP and a former deputy, directed questions that are set to be widely discussed to the government and the public via his social media account.

''WHO IS THE CUSTODIAN, WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE GOLD?''

Drawing attention to the assets of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Turkey, Emin Şirin asked the following questions:

"How much gold and dollars does Maduro/Venezuela have in Turkey?"

"Who is the custodian in Turkey?"

"What will be the fate of these gold and dollars?"

WHY NOW? 

Şirin's questions raise the risk of these assets being frozen or confiscated following the military intervention against Venezuela. 

As is known, Venezuela had begun sending its gold to Turkey instead of Switzerland for refining and processing, particularly starting from 2018.