Biden Says “No Strings Attached” to Vaccine Donations, But Venezuela Is Blocked from Getting Any

On Thursday, President Biden formally announced the United States would do its part by buying half a billion doses from Pfizer to send abroad.

President Joe Biden: “Our vaccine donations don’t include pressure for favors or potential concessions. We’re doing this to save lives, to end this pandemic. That’s it, period.”

While Biden said there are no strings attached to the vaccine donations, none of the doses will be going to Venezuela, which is under U.S. sanctions. Venezuela’s foreign minister, Jorge Arreaza, said the decision demonstrates Washington’s “continued hatred towards the Venezuelan people.” On Thursday, the Venezuelan government revealed it has been unable to receive vaccines through the COVAX program because some of its financial payments have been blocked due to the U.S. sanctions.

SOURCE:

https://www.democracynow.org/2021/6/11/headlines/biden_says_no_strings_attached_to_donations_but_venezuela_is_blocked_from_getting_vaccines