US Weaponizing COVID-19 Against Venezuela, Iran: Oliver Stone

[Judi Lynn]

Published 5 April 2020 (7 hours 36 minutes ago)

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“As a number of religious scholars have warned, ‘plagues expose the foundations of injustice’ in our societies,” film director Oliver Stone wrote in an op-ed Saturday exposing the United States (U.S.) government “profound lack of human decency” amid the new coronavirus pandemic.

In the piece published by the New York Daily News, Stone denounces the U.S. government for refusing to remove murderous sanctions on Iran and Venezuela in the context of a global health crisis. He urged for a “serious moral self-reflection,” and warned that countless lives were at risk unless there is an “immediate change in course.”

The award-winning filmmaker highlighted the differences between the government of the U.S. and those of Cuba or China which have sent doctors and medical supplies to a number of countries around the world to help fight the pandemic.

“These actions represent the type of international solidarity and show of humanity that the world needs right now,” he said.

“Sadly, the federal government in Washington is demonstrating the very opposite at this time (...) It is accurate to say that the U.S. is weaponizing the virus against these countries.”

Due to the illegal U.S. sanctions, Iran has been paying a heavy price because of the pandemic. The Islamic Republic is “reportedly the only country in the world that cannot buy medicines needed to fight the pandemic."

More:
https://www.telesurenglish.net/news/Oliver-Stone-Slams-Sanctions-on-Iran-Venezuela-Amid-Pandemic--20200405-0008.html

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Sanctions are terribly cruel during a pandemic: The U.S. should loosen the economic vise against Iran and Venezuela
By DANIEL KOVALIK and OLIVER STONE
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS |
APR 04, 2020 | 10:00 AM

Some may have seen the beautiful story of Cuba allowing a cruise ship, denied by other countries, to dock in its harbor though some on board had tested positive for COVID-19. This ship was full of mostly British citizens who were permitted to fly back home from Cuba. In addition, Cuba, along with China, is sending doctors and supplies to a number of countries around the world to help them fight the pandemic.

These actions represent the type of international solidarity and show of humanity that the world needs right now. Sadly, the federal government in Washington is demonstrating the very opposite at this time, removing all of its Peace Corps staff from around the world, and, even worse, increasing sanctions against countries like Cuba, Iran, Venezuela and Nicaragua during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak. It is accurate to say that the U.S. is weaponizing the virus against these countries.

As for Iran, NPR reports, “[t]he sheer number of infections sweeping through Iran is worrying international health experts. U.S. sanctions have strangled the country’s economy and hurt its health care system,” and its ability to confront the pandemic. Iran’s “Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that the country was in urgent need of face masks, ventilators and surgical gowns and then blamed the U.S. for what he called economic terrorism.” Due to the sanctions, Iran is reportedly the only country in the world that cannot buy medicines needed to fight the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Iran is reporting that an Iranian is dying every 10 minutes from COVID-19, and it is warning that "millions” of Iranians could die due to the virus. Millions! If this happens, the U.S. government will bear a great deal of moral and legal responsibility, for it is knowingly contributing to the spread of the pandemic in Iran.

As for Venezuela, the current sanctions against that country are one factor starving it of medicines and supplies needed to fight the virus. And President Trump is only increasing sanctions, even in the midst of the pandemic. Trump is doing so under the pretext of claiming that President Nicolás Maduro is allegedly trafficking drugs, but the U.S. government’s own data belies this claim. Nonetheless, the suffering that Trump’s increased sanctions will cause will be very real.

More:
https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-sanctions-are-terribly-cruel-during-a-pandemic-20200404-om7zzbw77zgqtdohxra7h7l3pq-story.html