Nearly 60 Groups Demand End to Sanctions During COVID-19 Crisis

Approximately 60 organizations in Spain on Monday demanded the suspension of sanctions and blockades against Venezuela, Cuba, Iran and Palestine so that they can face the COVID-19 outbreak with full force. 

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In a joint statement, the political groups indicated that these coercive measures are preventing various international organizations from supplying food and medicine to the population of these countries. 

The entities sent their complaint to the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, to the President and Vice President of the Government of Spain and to the respective embassies. 

In the document, they said that in the midst of a global emergency due to the pandemic caused by the coronavirus, the U.S. has 'inhumanely' increased the economic siege against Venezuela, Cuba and Iran, and Israel against the Gaza Strip.

The severe restrictions imposed on these nations impede the flow of food and medicine to these four countries and others, for fear of threats and retaliation from the United States, they indicated. 

In addition, the Venezuelan government is unable to rescue Venezuelan citizens who are being held in other countries due to the sanctions imposed against the Venezuelan airline CONVIASA, they said. 

In their appeal, they demanded urgent action in the face of this inhumanity and breach of the most elementary human rights because, after all, "it is the citizens of these peoples who suffer such atrocious consequences."

The almost 60 groups request that the Spanish government and the United Nations organization send a request to the U.S. administration to suspend said blockades and sanctions immediately.

Lifting the coercive measures would allow these nations to attend to the needs of their respective peoples, in moments of extreme need, as they are being solidary in the rest of the world.