icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
30 Dec, 2020 01:29

Venezuela signs deal with Russia to purchase 10 million Sputnik V vaccines for FREE distribution

Venezuela signs deal with Russia to purchase 10 million Sputnik V vaccines for FREE distribution

President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela announced that Russia will deliver the Sputnik V jab to 10 million people, saying he hopes to finish the first round of vaccinations in the first three months of 2021.

Announcing the deal in a televised speech on Tuesday, Maduro said the vaccine would be “distributed free of charge to the entire population living in the country, be they Columbians, Portuguese, Italians, Venezuelans,” while taking aim at Colombia’s plan to exclude 900,000 Venezuelan migrants from its own vaccination drive. 

Also on rt.com Argentina launches Covid-19 immunization campaign using Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine

Colombia’s president, Ivan Duque, defended the move, saying that he was prioritizing Colombian citizens over other countries’ nationals, and drew accusations of xenophobia from the opposition as well as from Maduro.

The Venezuelan president said that the newly signed deal to procure 10 million Sputnik V doses was the result of “months of serious and responsible work,” extending gratitude to the Russian leadership for enabling the mass vaccination campaign in the country.

“I thank President Putin for this important step in the beginning of mass vaccination in Venezuela,” Maduro tweeted. 

Venezuela became the first nation in the Western hemisphere to participate in the post-approval trial of the vaccine, when the first containers with Sputnik V arrived in October. 

Maduro noted that the phase III trial has proven to be a success, saying that no adverse reactions from the vaccine have been observed in the country so far.

Also on rt.com ‘Sputnik V arrived!’ Maduro thanks Russia as Venezuela receives first batch of Russian Covid-19 vaccine

Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, who participated in the signing of the contract, also hailed the vaccine as being “very safe” and vowed to set the inoculation campaign in motion “as soon as possible.”

“No criminal blockade will undermine the sacred right of our people to access the vaccine,” she tweeted, referring to the sweeping US sanctions.

While touting the vaccination as a milestone in the fight against Covid-19, Maduro cautioned against premature celebrations, urging the public to stay vigilant and follow hygiene rules.  

“The vaccine will undoubtedly be an important response... but the main battle is to take care of ourselves, everything we have learned in the culture of biosecurity is here to stay,” he said.

The CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which sponsors the production of Sputnik V, Kirill Dmitriev, said on Tuesday he hopes to start shipping the inoculations without delay. He noted, however, that the delivery of 10 million doses to the Latin American nation might take half a year or even longer.

Like this story? Share it with a friend!

Podcasts
0:00
26:13
0:00
24:57