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NEU Senior Regional Support Officer
US ramps up pressure on Venezuela amid coronavirus pandemic
Instead of offering help, Trump has threatened to increase sanctions on the country unless Maduro resigns, reports KEN LIVINGSTONE

AS STATES around the world struggle to tackle to coronavirus pandemic, Venezuela’s efforts to protect its population are being severely jeopardised by Trump’s aggressive tactics which have been ramped up over the past few weeks.

Trump’s strengthening of illegal US sanctions against Venezuela since 2017 — creating an economic blockade of the type employed against Cuba since the 1960s — have undoubtedly weakened its health infrastructure by cutting deeply into its oil revenues and its capacity to import key medical supplies and equipment.

Inevitably, this is affecting Venezuela’s capacity to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic, but unlike Bolsonaro in Brazil the government has taken swift action to contain its spread.

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