How the Coronavirus Pandemic Finally United Venezuela’s Government and Opposition

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Venezuelan Minister of Communications, Jorge Rodríguez, announced that the Ministry of Health and the “hard” opposition parties, the so-called G-4 alliance, have signed an agreement to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

The agreement commits to a coordinated approach to contain the spread of the disease in the country. In addition, they also agreed to jointly seek international financial aid in this context. The signatories request technical and administrative support from the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the regional arm of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The agreement has been ratified by Carlos Alvarado, Minister of Health in the government of President Nicolás Maduro, and by Julio Castro, health adviser to the opposition-dominated parliament. Dr. Gerardo de Cossio, a representative of PAHO, signed as a witness to the process.

The agreement lays down several measures for better management of the pandemic. For one, public and private health care centers are to work together in coordination. Furthermore, both sides undertake to seek funding sources to mitigate the emergency caused by the pandemic.

It is significant that the hard core of the Venezuelan opposition has agreed to take joint action with the government. The parties, which also include hardliners Juan Guaidó and Leopoldo López as well as Henry Capriles and Julio Borges, had hitherto described any cooperation with the “regime” as a betrayal of their own cause.

On June 3rd, UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the agreement on Twitter and encouraged its main players to implement the guidelines on the principles of humanism, neutrality, impartiality, and independence.

The agreement was preceded by several steps:

In mid-April, the Maduro government had already approached the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to ask it to act as intermediary and administrator of part of Venezuela’s national assets, which had been blocked by the Bank of England in the form of some 31 tons of gold bars. Faced with the pandemic, the assets should be used for medical and humanitarian aid for Venezuelans through a neutral institution.

During an international donors’ conference for Venezuela held in May, Norway proposed to use for humanitarian aid, Venezuelan state assets blocked due to US sanctions;

Various proceedings are currently underway before the Commercial Court in London to use the Venezuelan gold billions blocked in England for humanitarian purposes;

On June 1st, the agreement between the government and the opposition came about unexpectedly. The agreement immediately influenced the positions of other governments, which are currently blocking Venezuelan government funds.

Spain transferred €2.5 million (R$14 million) to PAHO, which came from a frozen account of the Venezuelan Central Bank with the Spanish State Bank.

“This money, which belongs to Venezuelan citizens, will be used to fight Covid-19. A multilateral organization will use it according to the principles that must be respected in humanitarian aid,” said a Spanish government spokesperson, who also expressed the wish that other states follow suit.

As unexpected as the treaty itself was the news that up to US$20 million is available for Venezuela from Washington, the amounts varying depending on the media outlets. According to a report by the North American NGO Human Rights Watch, various opposition leaders have stated that the money comes from a “Fund for the Liberation of Venezuela”.

The funds are part of assets of the Maduro government, which were seized abroad by the US government and handed over to the opposition. The opposition claims that the self-proclaimed interim president, Juan Guaidó, received these funds to deliver them to PAHO.

The Pan-American Health Organization is opposed to any political involvement and insists that international protocols be respected. It has made its participation conditional on the agreement of the Venezuelan Government. The actions carried out in the country must take place within the framework of state institutions.