Venezuelan government still blocking humanitarian supplies, Catholic charity reports

The government of Venezuela has not moved to lift a block on importation of medicine, despite a critical shortage, Caritas Venezuela reports.

Yaneth Marquez, the director of the Catholic charity, said that a shipment of medicine from Chile was being held by the government, although all the necessary paperwork had been cleared in advance. He said that officials at the government’s health ministry had promised action, but failed to respond to urgent requests.

The government’s refusal to accept international humanitarian aid—at a time when the people are suffering from severe shortages of food and medicine—has been one of the top items on the agenda in Vatican-mediated crisis negotiations between government and opposition leaders.