UN to provide support to Venezuela against COVID-19

The United Nations System is ready to support the Venezuelan government in the face of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro made this announcement after receiving a letter by resident coordinator of the United Nations System in Venezuela, Peter Grohmann, who confirms that the international organization “is ready to support the Venezuelan government in response to COVID-19.” The Venezuelan president explained that this support includes the contribution of the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to the Ministry of People’s Power for Health for the containment of COVID-19 in Venezuela. The UN is rescheduling its agenda and reprogramming resources to provide support to Venezuela and prevent the prevalence rate of this pandemic, which is striking more than 120 nations. “We are working to include Venezuela’s requirements in the global call,” read the Venezuelan president on Thursday, March 19, during a telephone conversation with the Presidential Commission for the Prevention and Control of Coronavirus (COVID-19), which held a meeting to continue working and coordinating preventative measures to contain the spread of coronavirus. Likewise, President Maduro stressed the UN has taken concrete measures in areas such as healthcare, water, and hygiene, and it will support the Venezuelan Health Ministry for the containment of coronavirus and the release of updated, reliable information. The Venezuelan president said that the international strategy developed by the Venezuelan government, by establishing and strengthening alliances and relations of cooperation, has moved forward and contained the spread of this pandemic to protect the Venezuelan people. In this regard, he informed that experts of the World Health Organization (WHO) will arrive soon in Venezuela to provide support in the fight against COVID-19. During his telephone conversation, Maduro complained about the escalation of the unilateral coercive measures imposed by the US government to provoke a regime change in the South American country amid this world health crisis. “The US government is persecuting all the ships and airplanes bringing food and medicines to Venezuela (…) No criminal sanctions will break our spirit and morale,” he assured.