El Tiempo
The map of nuclear security in the region has just taken a strategic turn. In an operation coordinated between the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Venezuela, under the strict scrutiny of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the removal of 13.5 kilograms of enriched uranium that remained in Venezuelan territory was achieved. The material, which represented a latent concern for the international community, is now in the custody of U.S. Department of Energy facilities in South Carolina.
TL;DR
- 13.5 kilograms of enriched uranium were removed from Venezuela to the U.S. Department of Energy facilities in South Carolina.
- The uranium was stored in a deactivated reactor at the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC).
- The operation was coordinated by the U.S., U.K., and Venezuela under IAEA scrutiny.
- The removed material was enriched to 20% U-235, considered a proliferation risk.
- The IAEA confirmed the Venezuelan reactor is now free of fuel.
- The mission occurred amid normalized diplomatic relations between Venezuela and the U.S.