CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s central bank lawyers say opposition leader Juan Guaido has rejected a proposed deal to buy coronavirus vaccines in Britain, a claim that the opposition has rejected as false.
The lawyers said the bank – whose board was nominated by President Nicolas Maduro – had sought the support of an ad hoc board of the central bank appointed by Guaido to raise funds frozen in Britain for $ 120 million. Gavi to transfer, an alliance that wants to improve the vaccine of poor countries. access.
“As a result of international sanctions, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Venezuela have worsened, and the government of President Maduro could not make any payment to Gavi to ensure access to COVID-19 vaccines in any other way,” he said. the central bank’s lawyers at Zaiwalla said. & Co. said in a statement.
The opposition argues that Maduro’s access to the funds was cut off because he would use the money for corrupt purposes, rather than help Venezuelans experiencing a humanitarian crisis and economic collapse.
Guaido is recognized by dozens of countries, including Britain, as the legitimate leader of Venezuela following Maduro’s controversial re-election in 2018. The two parties are embroiled in a London court battle over which side can have access to more than $ 1 billion worth of Venezuelan gold that stored at the Bank of England.
“I want to highlight the false nature of the information released by the Maduro regime,” wrote Miguel Pizarro, a representative of Guaido’s interim government. “We reiterate our willingness to find solutions to address the crisis Venezolane is suffering from today.”
The Maduro central bank had earlier tried to gain access to the funds to combat the effects of the coronavirus. The opposition said in early January that they had reached an agreement to participate in COVAX, one of Gavi’s vaccine facilities, but did not provide details.
Maduro said Venezuela would soon receive 10 million doses of Russian Sputnik V vaccine. The South American country reported approximately 117,811 cases of coronavirus and 1,084 deaths.
(Edited by Vivian Sequera in Caracas, Written by Corina Pons and Mayela Armas, Edited by Marguerita Choy and Grant McCool)