Venezuela, a South American country already facing food, water and medicine shortages largely due to the socialist policies of its de facto dictator Nicolás Maduro, is now faced with fighting COVID-19.
According to the World Health Organization, there were 33 confirmed cases in Venezuela and every individual carrying the virus came from overseas, but no deaths have been recorded yet.
However, because the country’s health care system is already crippled as a result of socialism, experts warn Venezuela will be hit hard by the virus.
“Bed shortages, a lack of isolation areas and short supplies of soap are already a daily reality at one hospital in Ciudad Guayana,” The Guardian reports.
Additionally, a clinical epidemiologist working as a clinician and scientist in Venezuela said the country’s authorities might be worse than North Korea or Iran when it comes to providing information on COVID-19.
“Since Friday 13 March, when the first case was announced, the government closed down all the TV channels, only leaving only the official TV channel, so we can only really guess what is going on, but it is for sure, much more than what reported,” the disease expert explained.
A Venezuelan journalist living in exile writes, “The socialist tyrant Maduro said that the quarantine means that all activities at all levels are suspended. In addition to the mandatory use of masks. The dictator also says that one should not leave the house except to cover special needs. And by the way, the narco-dictator Maduro also ordered a curfew.”
On Tuesday, Maduro requested a $5 billion emergency loan from the International Monetary Fund to deal with the fallout from coronavirus.
President @NicolasMaduro has formally requested financing for $5 billion to the International Monetary Fund to strengthen the response capacity of our health system during the #COVIDー19 contingency. Another timely action to protect the people. pic.twitter.com/C1itAiIoks
— Jorge Arreaza M (@jaarreaza) March 17, 2020
There are also calls for the Trump administration to lift sanctions against Venezuela, Iran and Cuba to help with the outbreak.
“The Trump administration is using #sanctions against Iran & Venezuela to pressure those govts by inducing widespread suffering,” Jeffrey Sachs says. “This policy is…flagrantly against international law […and] is now feeding the #coronavirus epidemic.” https://t.co/EjF9hZtqKd
— CEPR (@ceprdc) March 18, 2020
Twitter posts from Venezuela show a food truck being looted by panicked citizens.
Food truck being looted in Barcelona, Anzoategui#Venezuela #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/hWBN2RkPCR
— CNW (@ConflictsW) March 18, 2020
Food trucks were looted on the Colombian-Venezuelan border last night in Paraguachon, Colombia #Colombia #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/AgnEZnBYoo
— CNW (@ConflictsW) March 18, 2020
More footage, allegedly from the Venezuelan-Colombian border, shows riot police blocking a bridge as a fire burns nearby, militarized police arresting people who don’t wear masks and more.
The videos coming out of Venezuela resemble a nightmarish, apocalyptic film.
Situation on the Venezuelan-Colombian border at Paraguachon overnight #Venezuela #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/uOnF1UVSTG
— CNW (@ConflictsW) March 18, 2020
Puerto La Cruz today. A woman and her child are taken away for Coronavirus testing #Venezuela #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/P4lAFQr7Yx
— CNW (@ConflictsW) March 18, 2020
#Venezuela IN VENEZUELA, with only 17 confirmed cases of #Coronavirus👇🏻
This happened at the Pérez de León Hospital in Petare. A mother took her 3-year-old boy for poisoning and was denied access to the care center – @bgalindo74#HolocaustoChavista
pic.twitter.com/MTEQZpqfUy— Michael Welling (@WellingMichael) March 16, 2020
GNB in Caracas rounding up and arresting people who aren’t wearing face masks. Anyone leaving the house during the quarantine lockdown is required to wear a face mask according to Maduro #Venezuela #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/FsHgFwsSKW
— CNW (@ConflictsW) March 17, 2020
#Venezuela Chinese in Venezuela 🇻🇪 harassed at their own store by military to take #CoronaVirus test or else…
pic.twitter.com/VQaiVeqKdC— FreedomFighter (@iHeartVzla) March 17, 2020
Fights over fuel in Barquisimeto today. #Venezuela #Coronavirus pic.twitter.com/PxjmRlJk3g
— CNW (@ConflictsW) March 17, 2020
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