US accused of “piracy” over COVID-19 supplies
The United States of America has been accused of blocking or diverting COVID-19 medical supplies ordered by other countries.
Government officials of at least 5 countries are questioning the US government ways of acquiring their supplies.
On April 3, an order of 200,000 masks bound for Germany had been “confiscated” in Bangkok and diverted to the United States.
“We consider this an act of modern piracy,” Berlin Secretary of Interior Andreas Geisel
The US has also earned the ire of France. French officials claimed that a mask order coming from China was bought from under them at the last moment
Jean Rottner, a doctor and president of the GrandEst regional council, told RTL radio that the US buyers had turned up on the tarmac offering cash.
“On the tarmac, they arrive, get the cash out … so we really have to fight.”
Valerie Pecresse, leader of the Ile-de-France region, said that they lost an order to the Americans who outbid them on a shipment that they had lined up.
Additionally, Barbados’ Minister of Health and Wellness, Lieutenant Col Jeffrey Bostic said that they are investigating why US officials blocked the export of 20 ventilators which had been donated to the island.
“They [the ventilators] were seized in the United States. Paid for, but seized, so we are trying to see exactly what is going to transpire there.”
In Brazil, an order for medical equipment from China was ignored after the US sent around 20 cargo planes to pick up the same products for itself.
“Our purchases, which we expected to complete in order to be able to supply, many were dropped,” said Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta
“Piracy of COVID-19 supplies Completely False”
However, an official from the Trump administration has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, saying that they are using only proper ways to source COVID-19 supplies
“The United States government has not confiscated or taken any masks intended for delivery to or ordered by any other country. We are producing vast quantities of materials domestically and are working through the appropriate channels to purchase supplies from other nations to meet our needs.”
Meanwhile, US manufacturing company 3M confirmed on April 3 that the Trump administration ordered them to stop exporting ventilators from its US production sites to Canada and Latin America. The block was later reversed on April 6.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that it would be a “mistake” for the US to limit exports of medical supplies to Canada.
“These are things that Americans rely on and it would be a mistake to create blockages or reduce the amount of back-and-forth trade of essential goods and services, including medical goods, across our border.”