Rodríguez Says Venezuela Asset Review Is Well Advanced

Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodríguez said her government is assessing nonessential state assets for possible offers to private businesses or returns to former owners, describing the review as well advanced but providing no list of assets or timetable. Rodríguez announced the assessment in a televised address on October 29. She said she had instructed officials to determine which state holdings could be offered to the private sector or returned. The announcement could lead to changes in ownership of assets nationalized under former President Hugo Chávez, though no specific sales or returns were confirmed. A government commission appointed by Rodríguez in April is examining state-owned assets, including infrastructure in energy, power and mining, she said. The scope of the review, the criteria for selecting assets and the procedures for any transactions have not been detailed publicly in the cited account. Rodríguez also said 44 energy contracts were under negotiation under an oil law approved in January. The government has said it signed 61 oil agreements but has not published details. She separately cited mining negotiations involving gold, aluminum and iron. Those...