“Already Venezuela, the Government, President Nicolás Maduro, through all the diplomatic and legal efforts deployed at the international level, has managed to consign 50 percent, somewhat more, of the COVAX mechanism”, the Executive Vice-president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, announced this Saturday in statements offered from the Miraflores Palace, in the city of Caracas.
In the company of Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza and the People’s Power Minister for Health, Carlos Alvarado, she referred to this mechanism that seeks, as a global platform, to guarantee equitable access to the vaccine against the coronavirus (COVID-19).
She recalled that this mechanism requires an advance; scenario in which – she specified – Venezuela has even made twice the advance that is required.
The senior Venezuelan official cited the most relevant parts of this letter: “Through this letter, I would like to approve a transaction for 59.2 million Swiss francs to be transferred from the Bolivarian Government of Venezuela to the Gavi Alliance (Alliance that is part of the mechanism COVAX, in turn composed of United Nations countries, private sectors, foundations, to accelerate the acquisition of vaccines for the peoples of the world).”
These resources “are being canceled by the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the only one that exists for others”, and in response “they welcome this deposit”, he said.
She resumed the statement issued by COVAX in Geneva, stating that “these funds will be used as part of the initial payment to the mechanism, and for the purchase of a COVID-19 vaccine approved by the Government of Venezuela.”
She argued that it will also be based on their own specifications, for example:
“the current situation, -since- variant P1 and P2 are circulating in Venezuela, which are specific variants, not just any vaccine addresses the variants. Based on this scientific, sanitary and epidemiological criterion, the Government of Venezuela will inform the COVAX mechanism in a timely manner about the vaccines they offer.”
“We thank the COVAX mechanism, the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization that are permanently in communication”, said the senior official, who also reported that the President of the Republic, Nicolás Maduro, has already requested the Minister, Carlos Alvarado, to notify and report this deposit to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).