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US Sanctions of PDVSA Put Health of Hundreds of Venezuelans at Risk - Caracas

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US sanctions against the Venezuelan state-run oil giant PDVSA put the health of hundreds of people under threat as the company financially supports their treatment overseas, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said.
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"The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela condemns criminal consequences caused by the sanctions imposed on Venezuela’s state-owned oil company PDVSA, which impede the implementation of humanitarian health assistance programs for the Venezuelan people," the ministry said in a statement.

The Venezuelan company helps the Venezuelan citizens by funding their treatment, surgeries and transplantation, according to Caracas.

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"At the moment, within the framework of agreements in the field of health care implemented by PDVSA, hundreds of patients are being treated in medical institutions abroad and more than 500,000 patients at the national level," the ministry noted.

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The health of these people is now in jeopardy due to the illegal freeze of corporate funds intended for paying up medical services, the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry stressed.

The United States has imposed numerous rounds of sanctions against Venezuela in response to the political developments in the country. On January 28, the United States announced the imposition of sanctions on Venezuela’s PDVSA, blocking the company's assets worth $7 billion remaining under the US jurisdiction. According to the White House' forecast, the company will lose another $11 billion in oil supplies. In addition, Washington introduced a ban on making deals with the company.

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