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On Tuesday, Senator Gustavo Petro
shared on his social networks a meeting with the vice president of Social Rights and leader of the Podemos movement in Spain, Pablo Iglesias. At the meeting, the former presidential candidate He proposed to the Spanish government to transfer part of its surplus vaccines against COVID-19 to Colombia.
As a leader of the opposition in Colombia, I have proposed to the Spanish government, if it can sovereignly transfer part of its surplus vaccines against Covid, to transfer vaccines to the Colombian government regardless of political distances. pic.twitter.com/f1Ip2OAXmg
– Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) December 29, 2020
However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a statement in which it refers to the issue and indicates that this type of activity corresponds to the Government.
“The only person authorized to take steps to obtain access to vaccines or medical treatments to attend the COVID-19 pandemic is the Minister of Health, Dr. Fernando Ruiz ”, says the letter.
Further, recalls that the Government has already closed several negotiations to acquire doses of vaccines.
The Foreign Ministry also assured that the country continues to move forward before different bodies and laboratories to expand coverage.
Press release
In relation to press releases published in various media and networks related to efforts made by a member of the Congress of the Republic of Colombia before the Government of the Kingdom of Spain, we inform that: https://t.co/2uF3lSCRik pic.twitter.com/OvT84N9q2m– Colombian Foreign Ministry (@CancilleriaCol) December 30, 2020
This is the full statement:
“In relation to press releases published in various media and social networks, related to efforts made by a member of the Congress of the Republic of Colombia before the Government of the Kingdom of Spain, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the National Government , reports:
1. By decision of the President of the Republic, the only person authorized to take steps to obtain access to vaccines or medical treatments to attend the COVID-19 pandemic is the Minister of Health, Dr. Fernando Ruiz.
2. As has been widely reported to the public opinion, the National Government has ensured access to 40 million doses of vaccines against COVID-19, through bilateral negotiations with the laboratories Pfizer-BioNTech and Astra Zeneca, and its participation in the multilateral mechanism COVAX Facility. Colombia continues to move forward with different bodies and laboratories to expand the coverage insured up to this moment and move towards the social and economic reactivation of the country.
3. The National Government has repeatedly expressed its conviction that international cooperation and solidarity are essential foundations for overcoming the challenge posed by the pandemic and, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Health, has actively participated in various spaces, both bilateral and multilateral, aimed at facilitating access to treatments and vaccines.
4. In accordance with Article 189 of the Political Constitution of Colombia,
“It corresponds to the President of the Republic as Head of State, Head of Government and Supreme Administrative Authority:
…
2. Direct international relations. Appoint diplomatic and consular agents, receive the respective agents and celebrate treaties or agreements with other States and entities of international law that will be submitted for approval by Congress.
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