Maduro warns about the monopolization of vaccines

Venezuela's president warned about the "geopolitical war" over the monopolization of anti-coronavirus vaccines and denounced the lack of access of the poor to the doses.

During the celebration this Friday of the 18th anniversary of the Barrio Adentro mission, a social health program, the president reaffirmed his country's support to the World Health Organization (WHO) in its condemnation against the monopolization, hoarding and speculation of vaccines against the new coronavirus, which causes COVID-19.

"The vaccine is every man for himself, whoever can buy it should buy it and whoever can't, should die. That is the rule of capitalism, the geopolitical and mercantilist war," criticized the Venezuelan president.  In addition, Maduro reiterated his request that all the medicines needed to speed up the treatment of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 become "a public good."

The Venezuelan president insisted on the "geopolitical and commercial war" unleashed by the acquisition of the anti-COVID-19 vaccines, and then emphasized that, of the 830 million doses produced, 88% were distributed in "15 countries with high per capita income."

Venezuela is trying to advance its vaccination process, while it has frozen assets abroad, a situation which has hindered the acquisition of the vaccines.