Vice-president Delcy Rodríguez said on Thursday that Venezuela is living a historical moment after receiving the first batch of Cuba’s Abdala vaccine on the commemoration of the Bicentennial of the Battle of Carabobo.
“The Abdala vaccine deserves all the recognition and consideration our fellow countrymen and women who fought in Carabobo received. The Abdala vaccine arrived today, June 24, in Venezuela to join this important day,” said Rodríguez.
The Venezuelan president granted this recognition as she and Cuban Ambassador to Venezuela Dagoberto Rodríguez endorsed an agreement for 12 million doses of the Abdala vaccine that will join the mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19 in the South American country.
On behalf of President Nicolás Maduro, Vice-president Rodríguez thanked the Cuban people and government for their support through the bilateral cooperation mechanism.
“Let Cuba-Venezuela cooperation continue based on the ideals of Martí and Bolívar. Our heroes are here inspired by the will and commitment of commanders Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez, who made cooperation between our countries possible,” stressed the Venezuelan vice-president.
COVAX mechanism boycotted by capitalist governments
Vice-president Rodríguez pointed out that the COVAX mechanism is a beautiful, solidarity-based idea to distribute vaccines to all the countries of the world and to give balance to the vaccination process in all countries.
“But when we thought humanity was living its worst nightmare, it turned out it is worse than that, and it has been worse as rich countries have boycotted this solidarity-based mechanism, as rich countries have hoarded vaccines and try to use them as a political instrument to blackmail, just like they have used the blockade against Venezuela and Cuba,” she stressed.