Authoritarian Gold bugs is a reference to this previous post:
As reported for years at this blog. The US has been targeting Turkey. Turkish leadership knows this and has taken a number of measures to protect the country.One such example of this move to self defense from potential US attacks is rather obvious in the purchase of the Russian S-400.
"This weapon will be used against Turkey in case of possible hostilities. So if the US does not plan to attack Turkey or support those who intend to attack it, they don't need to be afraid of the S-400 deal. If the American goal is to deprive Turkey of the defense system and attack it, then this is a completely different matter," Bozkurt concluded.
As has been previously explained:- Turkey did not participate in the US sanctions scheme against Iran. - Which raised the ire of US officials resulting in the Halkbank kangaroo court case. - With the Magnitsky name being bandied about as an excuse to justify sanctions against Turkey.If you're following the bouncing ball.... Magnitsky bounces to Bill Browder. Bill Browder was mentioned most recently at the Helsinki summit by Putin.
Putin spoke of Bill Browder - Browder being the impetus for the Magnistsky act and all those sanctions against Russia- Putin mentioned how much money he was able to extract from Russia inappropriately-
I've covered the issues regarding the Halkbank show trial. The fact that Turkey and Iran still traded despite the US edict to ostracize, wage economic warfare against, Iran. Even though Turkey did nothing illegal, as was all previously written about here at the blog.Most recently:
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Turkey/Halkbank: The Biggest (Conjured Up) Sanctions-Evasion Scheme in Recent History
"A legal loophole. Meaning none of the trading was actually circumventing the sanctions? In fact if we go back to 2013, an earlier Jonathan Schanzer article from the Atlantic, again
“Remarkably, it was legal under the current sanctions regime”
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Turkey's State Bank Headed for Trouble? Sanctions trouble?
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Zarrab Trial & Magnitsky 2.0 Readied for Turkey
Brief detour: Aren't show trials just the greatest! Undertaken to influence. To manage perception. Having nothing to do with justicePresently we see and can read about this same circumvention of sanctions playing out again in relation to US sanctions against Venezuela- And Turkey, again, ignoring US edicts, is processing Venezuelan gold at the request of Venezuela's government. These two nations are working together to assist one another from being stymied by empire America's war making.US Sanctions Venezuela, yet again!
— The Trump administration placed new sanctions on Venezuela on Monday, seeking to block President Nicolás Maduro from selling off government debt to enrich himself the day after he claimed victory in what the United States government called a “sham” election in his crisis-ridden country.
The sanctions imposed Monday, the third round that Mr. Trump’s administration has placed on Venezuela, are intended to stop Mr. Maduro and his government from using a strategy they have pursued to raise cash.
Being fully aware that sanctions are simply another form of warfare- we have to realize that the US is waging war against Venezuela. As usual. No different then the sanctions against Russia or Iran or Syria or whatever other nation the US has in it's sights. Venezuela is a resource rich nation. And it's resources are it's own. Which is why the US has had such a huge problem with this nation state. Below is an interview with President Maduro via Daily SabahIn an interview, Maduro answered Daily Sabah's questions regarding the July 15 coup attempt and talked of mutually beneficial relations between Turkey and Venezuela.
DAILY SABAH: First of all, welcome to Turkey, we are extremely happy to have you here. Can you share with us how you feel about being here today?PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO: Hola. We're building very close relations with Turkey, we admire your history and your culture. Together we've been able to devise a map of a cooperation that will be mutually beneficial. Venezuela wants peace, development and mutual benefit.DS: July 15, the anniversary of the failed coup attempt is here, so what do you feel? We know that you are very outspoken about this issue. What do you think about what happened in Turkey two years ago?NM: President Erdogan has been the victim of a coup d'état, which was very similar to coup d'états we've gone through in Latin America. In the same manner that we have denounced and we have defeated coup attempts in Latin America. The first day after the attempt, we expressed our total solidarity with President Erdogan. There should never ever be a new attempt to trouble the life of the people because we believe that the people say the last word in democratic societies. So we need to reiterate that we need to have a free, independent and peaceful path for the people for them to be able to progress.DS: How about Turkey-Venezuela bilateral relations? Which particular areas need to be improved between the two countries in the near future?NM: We may progress in the production economy in oil and various fields. We are open to development. We have already started in the commercial field, because Turkey is a first rate supplier of raw materials that Venezuela needs. The other fields are refining and processing gold. Venezuela has certified reserves. Currently Venezuela has certified what could become the first largest gold reserve in the world.
Venezuela has gold and oil. Lots of gold and oil Turkey has the tools to refine and process gold.
Likewise, the same goes for the supply of oil and anything related to energy as well as in air transportation and tourism. We are already working in many other areas that are moving forward and they are doing great. Turkey also can benefit from petro cryptocurrency launched by Venezuela. Petro cryptocurrency can be used in foreign trade and investments. This will benefit Turkey and improve our economic ties.DS: Beyond political and economic ties, you are really engaged with Turkish culture. Where does your special interest in Turkish culture and, in fact, popular culture, comes from?I am very much aware of the history of Turkey. It is a wonderful history. Today, President Erdogan somehow summarized the history of Turkey during the inauguration ceremony. Each person should be very proud of Turkish history. There should be a very wide dialogue of civilizations and different cultures that we can meet with each other in diversity.DS: Turkish people, especially on social media, follow you very closely. You share many things about popular Turkish culture, especially about the well-acclaimed historical TV series, "Resurrection: Ertugrul."Ertugrul! My wife and I, we love this historic series regarding Turkey. We never miss an episode of Ertugrul. Never.DS: Why do you prefer to watch Dirilis instead of watching let's say "Vikings?" I mean why do you prefer to Turkish historical figures and heroes over others?You're right I do prefer them over others. Because in that series, there are many values that are conveyed. Also, the series has a spectacular quality of production and the actors and actresses are perfect in their roles.
DS: Gracias, thank you so much. Thanks for your time.
Turkey and Venezuela have positive relations and are willing to work together, peacefully.Turkey is processing Venezuelan gold because Switzerland would comply with US edicts.So much for the concept of the neutral nation of Switzerland?! Venezuela says it is refining gold in Turkey following sanctions
Venezuela’s central bank this year began refining gold in Turkey following a wave of international sanctions that have left it unwilling to carry out such operations in Switzerland, the country’s mining minister said on Wednesday.
The central bank for several years has been buying gold from small miners in the south of the country and refining it to be used as monetary gold to shore up its international reserves that have tumbled as the country’s socialist economy implodes.
“This is an agreement established with Turkey and the Venezuelan central bank,” said Victor Cano in a press conference. “It’s being done by allied countries because imagine (what would happen) if we sent gold to Switzerland and we are told that it has to stay there because of sanctions.”
Imagine what would happen to Venezuela's gold if the Swiss got their hands on it. Surely it would go the way of Libya's gold/wealth. All stolen. You do all recall that Libya's wealth was held for 'safe keeping' by loving humanitarian bankers who wanted only to help the Libyan people? NOT!RT : Some €10 billion of Libyan government funds, frozen as part of sanctions against the late Muammar Gaddafi’s inner circle, has mysteriously disappeared from a Belgian bank somewhere between 2013 and 2017, according to local media. James Rickards, senior managing director at Tangent Capital Rickards Says Libya's Gold Bullion May Never Be FoundI'm thinking Venezuela is trying to avoid having their assets go missing. Libya was unable to avoid this fate.Oh and btw: I don't believe that NATO is unaware of where all that Libyan gold has gone to.It's was surely spirited away. Interesting too is that Turkey has repatriated it's gold from the US.Lest their assets go missing as well?I'd say so. Ankara has decided to bring back all its gold stored in the US Federal Reserve, according to Turkish media. In recent years, Turkey repatriated 220 tons of gold from abroad, and 28.7 tons was brought back from the US last year. Turkey’s gold reserves are estimated at 564 tons and are worth about $20 billion, Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak reported. This makes Ankara the 11th largest gold holder, behind the Netherlands and ahead of India. The reports come at a time when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken a tough stance against the US currency. Gold Bug Authoritarians hailing from Venezuela, Turkey, Russia. All three caught in US cross hairs. All wishing to avoid the fate of Libya. Banker plunder coming on the heels of a NATO military intervention
