First published Oct 30, 2026, 6:47:15 PM UTC · Last updated Oct 30, 2026, 6:47:15 PM UTC

Venezuela names Oliver Blanco, a former opposition aide, as foreign minister

Venezuela’s acting president appointed Oliver Blanco as foreign minister, replacing Félix Plasencia. Plasencia was assigned to travel to the United Kingdom to seek the return of Venezuelan gold held at the Bank of England.

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Affected location: Venezuela

Illustrative image: Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire meeting Rocio Maniero, the Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the UK, 15 January 2015. — Foreign and Commonwealth Office/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

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The appointment changes Venezuela’s foreign minister and assigns the outgoing minister an international gold-recovery task.

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Primary official sources

MercoPress UK Venezuela names Oliver Blanco, a former opposition aide, as foreign minister

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