Cuba
Statement by Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs: The Covid-19 pandemic evidences the need to cooperate despite political differences Covid19 has come into a world overburdened by production and consumption patterns, especially in highly industrialized countries and among the elites of developing countries, that are unsustainable and incompatible with the finite character of natural resources upon which life on the planet depends. Before the first case was identified, there were 820 million people suffering from hunger worldwide; 2.2 billion people with no access to fresh water; 4.2 billion without access to safely managed sanitation services and 3 billion lacking basic amenities for hand washing. This scenario becomes more inadmissible when it is known that globally around 6.7 billion dollars are spent on a yearly basis only in advertising, while military expenditure amounts to 1.8 trillion dollars that are completely useless in the combat against the COVID19 threat, which has already taken the lives of tens of thousands of people.
Countries with more available resources should share them with most affected countries that are least prepared to cope with the pandemic.That is Cuba’s approach. The humble contribution of a small nation with limited natural resources and submitted to a long and brutal economic blockade.
Green Social Thought (Don Fitz): Cuba: From AIDS, Dengue, and Ebola to COVID-19 A review of Cuba’s history of humanitarian internationalism, and a comparison of the Cuban and US approaches to medical care.
TeleSur: Solidarity vs. Sanctions in Times of a Global Pandemic Faced with the chaos of the pandemic, the international solidarity of China and Cuba helps us understand the shortcomings of the neoliberal capitalist system. Chinese and Cuban doctors have been providing support in Iran, Italy, Spain and have offered their services and expertise to the most vulnerable countries in Latin America, Africa, and Europe. China, for its part, has sent health aid to more than 80 countries. In the cases of Italy, Spain, Cuba, Venezuela, Iran and other countries, the Chinese government also sent doctors and infectologists specialized in treating the pandemic.
Workers.org: Cuban solidarity combats the pandemic from Italy to Angola Cuba organized medical brigades within a week’s time to travel to 14 countries to combat the virus. Some 256 Cuban health workers, including 188 physicians and 24 nurses, arrived in Angola on April 10 to aid in the fight against COVID-19, after 19 people had become infected there.Socialist collaboration and cooperation enabled the quick mobilization of the teams. Cobas said Cuba, with 89,000 doctors and 84,000 nurses, has the highest ratio of doctors in the world — 9 per 1,000 residents — which is three times the U.S. rate! That is why the island can send health workers abroad. It has also sent materials and treatments.
Canadian Network on Cuba: Campaign to Support Cuba’s Contribution to World Fight Against COVID-19 Cuba has more than 800 medical personnel serving humanity in the trenches of 16 countries against the dreaded coronavirus.To contribute to the Campaign to Support Cuba’s Contribution to World Fight Against COVID-19: cheques should be made out to the “CNC,” with “COVID-19” written in the memo, and then mailed to: c/o Sharon Skup, 56 Riverwood Terrace, Bolton ON L7E 1S4
Granma: U.S. company buys ventilator supplier and cancels shipments to Cuba citing blockade While Cuban medical collaboration is extended around the world to help contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the insane blockade imposed by the United States on our country, has just denied our public health system access to two regular suppliers of ventilators, key to the care of the most serious cases of the disease.In another twist of this genocidal, inhumane policy, the manufacturers IMTMedical AG and Acutronic, announced the end of commercial relations with Cuba, after the companies were acquired by the U.S. firm Vyaire Medical Inc.
Venezuela
TeleSur: Venezuela Seeks to Perform 10 Million Tests for COVID-19 Something the US is still unable to do? “We have to get at least 10 million tests with the help of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Pan American Health Organization, China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba,” Maduro said.
OrinocoTribune: Maduro is Warned an Abrupt Transition Will be Forced – Maduro Responds: “Cool Your Jets, Elliott”US warns Venezuelan President Maduro that if he does not accept Washington’s “transition” plan, he will force a more “dangerous” transition. Maduro: “Let us not allow the coronavirus to spread in our country, that Trump and Elliott Abrams worry about among their own people. We will take care of Venezuela, over there, they’re with their hatred. Mr. Abrams, cool your jets.”
OrinocoTribune: Fourth Shipment from China Arrives in Venezuela on Saturday to Reinforce the Fight Against Coronavirus – State of Alarm Extended for 30 Days A new shipment of humanitarian technical assistance from the People’s Republic of China arrived this Saturday at the Simón Bolívar international airport in Maiquetía, Venezuela, with 30 tons of medical supplies. This shipment brings to more than 110 tons of medicines and medical surgical material received by Venezuela from China.
TeleSur: Open Letter to Condemn Trump Adm Indictment on Drug Charges of Venezuelan President Maduro and High-Ranking Officials The US has not presented evidence to substantiate their narco-trafficking indictment. Washington’s case looks politically motivated. In the wake of over six years of US sanctions and over a year of failed attempted coups, the majority support of the Venezuelan people for their democratically elected government has not been shaken.
Nicaragua
Grayzone: As Nicaragua confronts Covid, its US-backed opposition exploits the pandemic to create chaos As soon as the Covid-19 crisis hit, the Trump administration escalated its economic war on Nicaragua, imposing new US sanctions on the Sandinista government on March 5. The Nicaraguan right-wing is a tiny, overwhelmingly elite, out-of-touch group making up around 10% of the population. With little hope of electoral success and its base more divided than ever, it has resorted to spreading mountains of fake news, printing demonstrably false information in hopes of stirring up a frenzy among the population.Nicaragua boasts a system of socialized medicine that provides high-quality healthcare to all residents, at no cost – an achievement made possible by the Sandinistas’ national electoral victory in 2006.
Webinars and Actions
PopularResistance: Act Now to Help Stop US War on Venezuela Four actions you can take to defend Venezuela.
Sign-on Letter: FDA expedite review and approval of lifesaving Cuban antiviral for COVID-19
April 17, 2pm ET: Webinar: COVID-19 in Brazil
Webinar April 18th, 2pm ET U.S.- Cuba-Canada Collaboration in Fighting COVID-19
April 19 Webinar: The Prosecution of Julian Assange and the Fight for Free Speech
