Maduro denounces U.S. attacks to prevent the sale of vaccines to Venezuela

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro denounced this Sunday that the United States is pressuring companies distributing vaccines against COVID-19 so they are not sold to the South American country.

"They have gone to the extreme of threatening the companies that distribute the vaccines with sanctions if they sell doses to Venezuela (...).  Washington has increased its war against the country," denounced President Maduro.

The head of state asserted that in spite of the illegal economic, financial and commercial sanctions suffered by the country on the part of the U.S., health authorities continue to manage the respective doses to fight the pandemic.

"Venezuela has told Covax that there is the money, if they send the vaccines.  People should be aware that we are in the vaccination process, but we have not reached the optimal level of vaccination.  It's like the whole world is giving birth," said the Venezuelan president.

President Maduro announced that as of Monday (April 19), the rest of the monetary quota of the 120 million dollars for the arrival of vaccines to Venezuela under the COVAX mechanism of the World Health Organization (WHO) will be deposited.  "We have managed to free resources, thanks to the technical work of the Central Bank of Venezuela," he said.

Regarding the hoarding of doses in the world, the Venezuelan leader revealed that 87 percent of the vaccines are in the hands of just a few countries.  "There are 26 nations that have not received a single vaccine and there is no prospect of their arrival," he added.

"Ten countries monopolize 87 percent of the vaccines and the poor only have access to 0.2 percent.  That is why we join the call for the distribution of 100 percent of the vaccines and the sale price of vaccines.  We have seen a speculative market."