The Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Reginald Austrie, has called for an end to the political provocation and persecution of Venezuela. Austrie urged the international community to rise up for the defense of the South American country following a series of sanctions imposed against it by the United States. He made the call during the collection of 3,000 RDT and 50 PCR test kits gifted by the government of Venezuela to Dominica.
The COVID-19 test kits were personally delivered by the ambassador of Venezuela to Dominica, Jose Durabio Moros Savelli, and they were received by Honourable Reginald Austrie and the Minister for Health, Dr. Irving McIntyre, on behalf of the government of Dominica.
“What makes it even more significant is when you consider the geopolitical scenario and the economic sanctions put against Venezuela and in spite of all this, the Republic can come to our assistance,” said Dr. McIntyre while thanking the Venezuelan government of President Nicolas Maduro. “We’re just so grateful.”
The bilateral relationship that existed between the United States and Venezuela became strained during the socialist presidency of Hugo Chavez. When Nicolas Maduro won the presidential election in 2018, the US insisted the election that brought him was irregular and fraudulent. The Trump administration and some other countries would not recognize the presidency of Maduro, but considers National Assembly President Juan Guaido as the country’s interim president.
But Dominica and Venezuela have enjoyed bilateral friendship since 1979 and jointly engaged in developmental partnerships that cover housing, education, healthcare, energy, and technical infrastructure among others. The CARICOM community has urged the US government to remove every economic sanction against Venezuela since this constitutes political persecution and oppression.
“While we in Dominica do not get involved in their internal affairs of sovereign countries, we believe in the peaceful resolution of such matters,” Austrie said. “Let us seek and find a peaceful resolution to the problems now being faced in Venezuela, so I would like to join other CARICOM brothers and sisters in calling for a peaceful resolution.”
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