根据周一发布的一份报告，根据美国支持的协议从委内瑞拉进口的黄金仍存放在仓库中，因为精炼商正在寻求关于其来源及可能与犯罪集团关联的保证。
Gold imported from Venezuela under a US-backed deal remains in warehouses as refiners seek assurances over its origin and possible links to criminal groups, according to a report published Monday.
特朗普政府于3月向委内瑞拉黄金开放美国市场，当时华盛顿正在扩大与由德尔西·罗德里格斯领导的委内瑞拉临时政府的经济联系。
The Trump administration opened the US market to Venezuelan gold in March as Washington expanded economic ties with Venezuela’s interim government led by Delcy Rodriguez.
《纽约时报》报道称，委内瑞拉国有黄金开采公司Minerven与全球大宗商品贸易公司Trafigura达成协议，为美国市场供应黄金。
The New York Times reported that Minerven, Venezuela’s state-owned gold mining company, reached an agreement with Trafigura, a global commodities trading company, to supply gold for the US market.
Trafigura同意从Minerven购买650至1000公斤（1433至2205磅）金矿锭。这些黄金被运往美国进行精炼和转售。
Trafigura agreed to purchase between 650 and 1,000 kilograms (1,433 and 2,205 pounds) of gold dore bars from Minerven. The gold was shipped to the US for refining and resale.
根据报告，美国精炼商拒绝购买部分黄金，因为他们无法证明这些黄金的获取过程未涉及犯罪集团、非法采矿或其他非法活动。
US refiners have declined to purchase some of the gold because they cannot certify that it was obtained without involvement from criminal groups, illegal mining or other illicit activities, according to the report.
《纽约时报》报道称，委内瑞拉南部的非正规采矿作业将部分黄金产量提供给“特伦德瓜亚纳”犯罪集团，以换取保护。
Informal mining operations in southern Venezuela provide part of their gold production to the Tren de Guayana criminal group in exchange for protection, The New York Times reported.
一位采矿作业的负责人告诉该报，其约20%的黄金产量被上交给该集团。
A leader of one mining operation told the newspaper that about 20% of its gold production is given to the group.
该报还报道称，在独立审计师检查协议涉及的矿山之前，Trafigura已购买了数百万美元的黄金。
The newspaper also reported that Trafigura purchased millions of dollars worth of gold before independent auditors inspected the mines involved in the agreement.
Trafigura表示其尽职调查流程正在进行中。该公司称，对其已检查场所的审计未发现侵犯人权、冲突融资、非法征税、勒索或非法行为者参与的证据。
Trafigura said its due diligence process was ongoing. The company said audits of sites it had inspected found no evidence of human rights violations, conflict financing, illegal taxation, extortion or involvement by illegal actors.
该公司计划从两个受军事保护的工业矿山采购黄金，以降低犯罪集团进入供应链的风险。
The company plans to source gold from two industrial mines under military protection to reduce the risk of criminal groups entering the supply chain.
Minerven仍处于美国制裁之下，而特朗普政府已授权涉及委内瑞拉黄金的交易，作为其对加拉加斯更广泛政策的一部分。
Minerven remains under US sanctions, while the Trump administration has authorized transactions involving Venezuelan gold as part of its broader policy toward Caracas.
该协议的达成正值华盛顿寻求扩大与委内瑞拉的经济联系、并获取更多该国矿产资源准入之际。
The agreement comes as Washington seeks to expand economic ties with Venezuela and gain greater access to the country’s mineral resources.