Venezuela: Enriched uranium removed from legacy reactor near Caracas in joint operation

The United States says 13.5 kilograms of enriched uranium have been removed from a legacy research reactor in Venezuela in a joint operation involving the United States, the United Kingdom and Venezuela.

The material was taken from a site about 15km from Caracas and transported to a Department of Energy complex in South Carolina, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The agency said the uranium was moved safely and securely by land and sea in what it described as a complex and sensitive operation.

The US Department of Energy said the removal was a win for America, Venezuela and the world.

The operation matters because it removes a stock of highly enriched uranium from a site close to Venezuela's capital, reducing the amount of sensitive nuclear material held there.

Brandon Williams, the administrator of the department's National Nuclear Security Administration, said the safe removal of all enriched uranium from Venezuela sent a signal of a restored and renewed Venezuela.

The announcement comes as Washington has been rebuilding ties with Caracas in recent months, including renewed official contacts and the reopening of the US embassy.

It is not clear from the announcement whether any other nuclear material remains at the reactor site, or whether further steps are planned after the transfer to South Carolina.

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