A group of 11 Democratic senators demanded that the White House temporarily suspend the coercive measures imposed on Venezuela and Iran in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The senators sent a letter on Thursday to the secretary of the State Department, Mike Pompeo, and to the secretary of the Treasury, Steven Mnuchin, to request the suspension for 90 days and allow the reception of humanitarian assistance, Hispan TV reported.
1/2 Despite not agreeing with its arguments, it is important to point out this request by 11 US Senators asking the Secretaries of State and Treasury to lift the sanctions on Venezuela and Iran while the COVID-19 pandemic lasts. #SanctionsAreACrime pic.twitter.com/UXMm9AumSa
— Jorge Arreaza M (@jaarreaza) March 28, 2020
“As these countries struggle to respond to their domestic health crises, United States sanctions are hampering the free flow of desperately needed medical and humanitarian supplies,” the letter says.
They also called for providing “unconditional aid” to these nations even if it must be done through a third-party country or organization.
On Wednesday, too, eight nations issued a letter to the secretary-general of the United Nations (UN), Antonio Guterres, and warned of the negative impact of the sanctions on international efforts to contain Covid-19.
Guterres called on the United States on Friday to renounce its coercive measures that affect many countries, such as Cuba, Venezuela, Iran and Syria.
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Translated by JRE/EF
