US softens sanctions against Venezuela for vaccine purchases
The US government eased some economic sanctions against Venezuela on Thursday to allow the country to purchase pandemic-related materials such as vaccines, masks, oxygen tanks and ventilators, according to a statement from the Treasury Department.
Along with Venezuela, Washington also eased sanctions on Iran and Syria for the same purpose.
The Treasury said the measures affect "transactions and activities related to the delivery of facemasks, ventilators, oxygen tanks, vaccines and vaccine production, covid-19 testing, air filtration systems, and field hospitals".
The decision comes after an analysis within the government of President Joe Biden to assess whether the sanctions "are unduly hampering responses to the pandemic" by the affected countries.
In the specific case of Venezuela, the Treasury detailed that the measure would allow sanctioned entities such as the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV), the Bank of Venezuela or the Bicentennial Bank and its subsidiaries to carry out this type of transaction.
The Treasury, however, made it clear that the economic sanctions against the state company Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) and its business network remain intact.
The government of Nicolás Maduro denounced last week that an international bank had blocked 10 million dollars deposited to the COVAX mechanism for the purchase of vaccines as a result of US sanctions.
"With this action, no one can deny that these unilateral coercive measures are criminal," denounced Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez.
Former US president Donald Trump imposed a host of sanctions against Venezuela during his term in office, which Biden, after five months in office, has maintained despite stating that he is studying them.
Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern this week called on Biden to lift the sanctions imposed by Trump, saying they have "worsened the crisis" in Venezuela.
"I think it's time to correct the course of US policy towards Venezuela. It is time to stop using the welfare of the Venezuelan people as a bargaining chip," the congressman said.