![\"gold\"](\"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/gold.jpg\")
<\/a>Nicolas Maduro\u2019s embattled Venezuelan regime, desperate to hold onto the dwindling cash pile it has abroad, was stymied in its bid to pull $1.2 billion worth of gold out of the Bank of England, according to people familiar with the matter.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Bank of England\u2019s decision to deny Maduro officials\u2019 withdrawal request comes after top U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton, lobbied their U.K. counterparts to help cut off the regime from its overseas assets, according to one of the people, who asked not to be identified.<\/span><\/p>\n The U.K. followed the U.S. and other countries on Wednesday in recognizing Juan Guaido, the National Assembly leader, as the legitimate president of Venezuela. Maduro, an authoritarian ruler who\u2019s overseen the country\u2019s collapse into economic chaos, refuses to give up power<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, though, and has the backing of the military. The European Union threatened to recognize Guaido unless a \u201ccredible\u201d presidential election is called with eight days, according to a draft statement seen by Bloomberg.<\/span><\/p>\n