Briefing

Paying for the Other Half of The Vaccine

Juan Guaidó said that the caretaker government is willing to provide more resources in order to access more doses of the vaccine. NGOs must now register before the Office Against Organized Crime and Terrorist Financing. This rule forces NGOs to give their lists of donors and beneficiaries to the government.

Naky Soto
  • Juan Guaidó said on Wednesday that the caretaker government is willing to provide more resources in order to access more doses of the vaccine: “If half is paid for, we’ll pay for the other half. If all of it has been paid for, then we’ll pay for other things, like the cold chain infrastructure, if it’s needed,” he said. 
    • He demanded Maduro’s regime allow the available vaccines in the country: “Enough of wanting to block one vaccine or the other one. Let any vaccine that’s proven to be safe in, period,” he said regarding chavismo’s refusal to allow the AstraZeneca vaccine to be used in Venezuela. “We have a calling to serve the people and especially to achieve freedom for this country,” he assured. 
  • Provea’s Rafael Uzcátegui considers the new rule that NGOs must register before the Office Against Organized Crime and Terrorist Financing to be very serious. 
    • This rule forces NGOs to give their lists of donors and beneficiaries to the government. He added that creating this registry seeks to intimidate victims of human rights violations and make them fear going to NGOs for help. 
  • PAHO deputy director Jarbas Barbosa said they gave the Venezuelan Health Ministry evidence in favor of using the AstraZeneca vaccine, which was prohibited by the regime to undermine the opposition. He insisted on the benefits being more than the risks. 
  • WHO’s director of emergencies Ciro Ugarte assured that there isn’t a specific demand by the Venezuelan government regarding the brand of the vaccine. 
  • The National Academy of Medicine warned that Cuban products Soberana II and Abdala “aren’t real vaccines” but drugs in the experimental phase. We don’t know their safety, composition or efficacy. 
    • They celebrate Venezuela’s access to COVAX, but said that it’s important that the entire country remains to push until every eligible Venezuelan is vaccinated. 
  • NGO Médicos Unidos por Venezuela warned that the number of deaths is surpassing the cemeteries’ crematory capabilities. 
  • Scholars and human rights activists agree on the use of the Patria system for vaccinating senior citizens is discriminatory. Professor Iria Puyosa explained that this measure violates the rights to protection of personal information, health and life. 
  • The healthcare sector called for a protest on April 17th at Los Palos Grandes Sq. to demand the vaccine doses be allowed into the country. The president of the Capital District’s Nurses Guild Ana Rosario Contreras called on all citizens to support healthcare workers. 
  • The UCV workers union protested to demand dignified wages and rejecting payroll payments using the Patria system: “We need help, wherever it comes from because this is a critical situation,” said union leader Eduardo Sánchez. They estimate workers are being paid around three dollars a month. 
  • SUDEBAN revoked the commercial permits of Flexipos, providers of points of sale that can process international cards. They had barred the sale of those points of sale in February. 
  • The National Traffic Institute (INTT) reported that public transportation units must comply with the pre-established routes, and they emphasized that establishing new routes is forbidden. 
  • The Supreme Tribunal of Justice (TSJ) reported that four citizens have been detained for reselling two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for USD 280. 
  • FEDENAGA president Armando Chacín explained that there’s a shortage of some dairy products  because of the diesel fuel shortage. You can find fuel in the black market, but operating that way is impossible for the sector. 
  • @ConflictsW on Twitter reported that FAES “are being deployed to Apure, despite there not being any fighting over the last few days. These are Venezuela’s best soldiers, including the best weaponry they have.” They reiterate that “FARC dissidents probably went to re-arm or rest, even though there will be trouble if they come back with backup.”
  • A group of over 20 farmers is still detained in Apure. They were accused of being “guerrillas” after the conflict on the border. 
  • Colombian Foreign Minister Claudia Blum reported that she sent a letter to the UN Secretary-General and the president of the Security Council to denounce the serious situation on the border with Venezuela because of the “support that the illegitimate Venezuelan regime has given to armed narco-terrorist groups.” She spoke about 5,737 Venezuelan citizens having to flee to Arauquita and said that the Armed Forces “acted in an indiscriminate way and didn’t comply with international humanitarian laws.” 
  • President Joe Biden announced he’s ordering withdrawing troops from Afghanistan before September 11th, 2021. Germany and the United Kingdom will do so as well. 

 

Naky Soto

Naky gets called Naibet at home and at the bank. She coordinates training programs for an NGO. She collects moments and turns them into words. She has more stories than freckles.

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