Venezuela urges Colombia to coordinate joint measures to fight COVID-19

During an interview with Colombian radio station «La W,» Venezuela’s Foreign Affairs Ministry Jorge Arreaza called on the Colombian authorities to reestablish direct communication between governments and coordinate joint measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. «We share one of the continent’s liveliest borders. It’s a 2,219 km (1,378 mi) long border, and we have a responsibility towards our peoples beyond our ideological, political, circumstantial or structural differences. We’re talking about a pandemic declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) and we have to address it,» he stressed. Arreaza also informed that they have tried to make contact with the Colombian health and defense ministers Fernando Ruiz and Carlos Holmes Trujillo, but attempts have failed. «We want to avoid a unilateral decision and that’s the reason why we want to make contact, see the reality on the other side of the border and make preventative joint decisions,» said the Venezuelan foreign affairs minister. Finally, Minister Arreaza said that the risk is shared and, in the case of Venezuela, the COVID-19 diagnostic tests are guaranteed for free thanks to the country’s cooperation with the People’s Republic of China. «We have a team led by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, and it is monitoring the detected cases. Obviously, due to the sanctions, everything is more difficult and more expensive, but we have made great efforts and we are ready to face this pandemic,» stated the Venezuelan minister.