Today, @CSIS organized a seminar regarding Venezuela and COVID-19. The main conclusion is a call for priorities actions. Here are some ideas:
Venezuelans are facing the pandemic amidst a complex humanitarian emergency, a massive crisis of migrants and refugees, and political fragility. It is an ongoing emergency within a broader humanitarian emergency.
Health systems were already weak in Venezuela, as well as food security. The GDP collapse and the over-indebtedness reduced the fiscal space, eliminating access to international financing. Venezuela cannot implement basic policies to address the pandemic (eg.: cash-transfers).
The pandemic will likely aggravate the complex humanitarian emergency, creating famine risks, leading to the total collapse of the health system, and increasing poverty and inequality. Pandemic will hit the most vulnerable sectors, particularly, due to the rampant informality.
Unfortunately, this emergency within an emergency is developing together with a political crisis and the collapse of the Venezuelan state. The stalled transition, and Maduro’s kleptocracy and predatory policies, hinder the limited capacity of the fragile state.
What to do, then? Addressing the pandemic should be the priority action of a unitary political pact. The legitimacy of the Interim Government should be focused to coordinate international aid, promoting a review of international sanctions in order to reduce its negative impact.
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