Four European members of the UN Security Council - Belgium, Germany, France and Estonia - said on Tuesday that European sanctions against Venezuela had no impact on medical aid to this country, the l from a videoconference in camera.
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"European sanctions in Venezuela target individuals responsible for serious human rights violations and have been taken with the aim of not affecting the population," said the statement by the four members of the European Union. The United Kingdom has not joined their joint declaration. "Consequently, the sanctions do not affect humanitarian or medical aid in anything," insists their text.
The statement highlights their "deep concern about the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic" . "The pandemic risks having a devastating human impact in a country grappling with an already serious economic, social and humanitarian situation" , underline the four countries. "EU members on the Security Council call for the depoliticization of humanitarian aid and for safe and unhindered humanitarian access throughout the country," added their statement, noting that the EU is the largest donor. for this country in its fight against the humanitarian crisis.
The four countries are behind the convening of this rare meeting of the Security Council on Venezuela. They took the initiative after Russia refused to integrate the humanitarian dimension during a session last week requested by Moscow on an American military deployment off Venezuela. On April 1, Washington announced the deployment as part of a major drug operation. Caracas, supported by Russia, denounced the decision soon after in a letter to the UN.
The last public meeting of the Security Council on Venezuela dates back to April 2019 when US Vice President Mike Pence came to New York to demand recognition of the opponent Juan Guaido as leader instead of President Nicolas Maduro. A closed-door meeting had been organized in May 2019 but until last week the Council had held no session on this country.