Colombia Accelerates Plan to Recover Up to $20 Billion in Sunken Treasure

  • President Petro wants to recover galleon before his term ends
  • US company says it found wreck first, is suing for $10 billion
Video released in 2022 shows the three-century-old wreck of the Spanish treasure galleon, the San Jose.Source: Armada de la Republica de Colombia
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Colombia is accelerating its effort to recover as much as $20 billion in gold, silver and gems from a three-century-old shipwreck, even as US treasure hunters sue for half the value.

President Gustavo Petro told officials to set up a public-private partnership, or do a deal with a private firm, to get the San Jose galleon off the Caribbean Sea floor as soon as possible, according to the minister of culture.