Citibank Blocks Funds for Insulin: More Than 450,000 Venezuelans Affected

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The US bank Citibank blocked, in August this year, part of the funds destined to import 300 thousand doses of insulin, a criminal act that affects more than 450 thousand patients, the Venezuelan Ministry of Economy and Finance reported.
On the other hand, the BSN Medical laboratory, based in Colombia, after receiving payment for the purchase of 2 million units of antimalarial treatment, denied the clearance of the drugs.
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The ministry indicated that this fact caused the Swiss bank UBS AG to block the transactions made by the country with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), destined for the purchase of vaccines for the immunization program.
#tropa lo de citibank ya esta fuerte..jodiendo la economia de nuestra patria desde adentro.. osea que no tenemos que calar a esta banda de ladrones,,,? @NicolasMaduro ya es hora de tomar medidas..
— PEDRO MONTILLA (@PEDRO041) August 25, 2019
Given this circumstance, Venezuela and PAHO sought alternatives with banks from other countries, although this situation led to a 4 month delay in the immunization program.
The national government also revealed that other pharmaceutical transnationals such as Pfizer and Novartis refuse to sell medicines, reagents and supplies to Venezuela.
Translated by JRE/EF