ANKARA, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that Venezuela's gold will be refined in central Turkey's Corum.
"Venezuelan gold will be refined in Corum ... We will develop Corum for the gold trade and the city to a better position in this field," Erdogan said during an election rally ahead of March 31 municipal elections in this city located east of capital Ankara, CNN Turk news channel reported.
Turkey, a NATO country, aligned itself with those behind Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a bitter crisis in which he is opposed to National Assembly leader Juan Guaido who declared himself Venezuela's rightful president last month.
Erdogan traveled to Caracas last December and met Maduro.
Guaido has managed to get the support of the United States, who imposed sanctions on the Maduro government, and many other Western countries.
