{"id":157844,"date":"2020-04-13T12:01:34","date_gmt":"2020-04-13T11:01:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=157844"},"modified":"2020-04-20T10:06:14","modified_gmt":"2020-04-20T09:06:14","slug":"oliver-stone-usa-weaponizing-covid-19-against-venezuela-and-iran","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2020\/04\/oliver-stone-usa-weaponizing-covid-19-against-venezuela-and-iran\/","title":{"rendered":"Oliver Stone: USA Weaponizing COVID-19 against Venezuela and Iran"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Oliver<\/p>\n

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Oliver Stone is an Academy Award-winning filmmaker and author, but also an outspoken defender of left-leaning politics. | Photo: EFE<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“It is accurate to say that the U.S. is weaponizing the virus against these countries,\u201d Stone said.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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5 Apr 2020 – <\/em>\u201cAs a number of religious scholars have warned, \u2018plagues expose the foundations of injustice\u2019 in our societies,\u201d film director Oliver Stone wrote in an op-ed Saturday exposing the United States (U.S.) government \u201cprofound lack of human decency\u201d amid the new coronavirus pandemic.<\/p>\n

Related: <\/strong><\/em>\u2018The US Has Become a Force of Evil\u2019: Oliver Stone<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In the piece published by the New York Daily News,\u00a0Stone 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 \u201cserious moral self-reflection,\u201d and warned that countless lives were at risk unless there is an \u201cimmediate change in course.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cThese actions represent the type of international solidarity and show of humanity that the world needs right now,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSadly, 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Due to the illegal U.S. sanctions, Iran has been paying a heavy price because of the pandemic. The Islamic Republic is \u201creportedly the only country in the world that cannot buy medicines needed to fight the pandemic.”<\/p>\n

Related: <\/strong><\/em>Trudeau Must Rescind Its Sanctions Against Venezuela<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

According to reports from Iran, one person is dying every 10 minutes, while Iranians\u00a0along with international health experts fear that millions could die. \u201cIf 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,\u201d Stone said.<\/p>\n

Likewise, the outspoken Hollywood director condemned U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s decision to maintain, and in some cases, to increase economic pressure on countries\u00a0like\u00a0Cuba, Venezuela<\/a>, and Nicaragua as the virus is straining healthcare systems across the planet.<\/p>\n

In the case of Venezuela, U.S. \u201ccoercion\u201d led the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to refuse the South American country a US$5 billion loan to help fight the pandemic, Stone recalled.<\/p>\n

Moreover, the U.S. has taken up its pressure on Caracas amid the global health crisis, accusing the government of drug trafficking and calling for a \u201ctransition government\u201d to replace President Nicolas Maduro.<\/p>\n

Iran has registered nearly 3,500 COVID-19 deaths, with 19,700 confirmed cases, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University, while Venezuela has so far 159 confirmed cases and seven deaths.<\/p>\n

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Europe bypasses #Iran<\/a> sanctions for the first time. pic.twitter.com\/5B2yYtO76x<\/a><\/p>\n

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) March 31, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n