As the world reels from the COVID-19 pandemic, all nations must work together in the struggle stem and beat back the virus. Massachusetts Peace Action is working with organizations across the state to end the US imposed sanctions on countries like Venezuela, Cuba, Iran, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
Alena Douhan, UN special rapporteur on the negative impact of sanctions on human rights, said last summer, “Sanctions that were imposed in the name of delivering human rights are in fact killing people and depriving them of fundamental rights, including the rights to health, to food and to life itself,”
According to a report on the impact of the US sanctions on Venezuela published by the Washington-based Center for Economic and Policy Research, more than 300,000 people who are estimated to be at risk because of lack of access to medicines or treatment because of sanctions on the country. That includes 16,000 people who need dialysis, 16,000 cancer patients and roughly 80,000 people with HIV. This should not be allowed to continue!
Join us in calling for the suspension and removal of the sanctions imposed by the US on Venezuela. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic this is an urgent call.
1) Call your Senators and House Representative We cannot achieve change without public pressure.
Sen. Ed Markey (202-224-2742)
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (202-224-4543)
Find your Rep. here and call them at the Congressional Switchboard, 202-224-3121
Here’s an example of what you can say:
“Hi, my name is ____ and I’m calling from <town>. I’m extremely worried about the impact of U.S. sanctions on the ability of Venezuela, and other countries to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. These sanctions that were imposed in the name of delivering human rights are in fact killing people and depriving them of fundamental rights, including the rights to health, to food and to life itself.
I am urging you to:
- Utilize social media to issue statements calling for the suspension and removal of our US sanctions against Venezuela and othner countries.
- Support the return to the internationally recognized Venezuelan government the seized Venezuelan asset in the US including CITGO
- Sign on to Rep. Omar’s “Congressional Oversight of Sanctions Act”
“Can I count on ______ to take these actions?
“When can I expect a reply from ______?”
2) Follow up with an email message to Congress and the Administration. Click here to send a message to your representatives, to the White House, and the Secretary of State.
