Joe Biden’s government calls for “transparency” after Latin America vaccine scandals

The US government on Tuesday spoke of the scandals of COVID-19 vaccination campaigns rocking Latin American countries, calling for government transparency to fight corruption.

“Anyone moving forward must have a rationale that everyone understands”, Indicated Jon Piechowski, Assistant Under Secretary of State in the Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs.

“Many people want to be vaccinated. If there is an open process, where people see and understand who is getting the doses, or for what reasons, this contributes to better management“Added the senior official of the State Department, at a press conference in which he participated Infobae on corruption in the region.

The scandals rocked several countries, mainly Argentina and Peru, where officials and relatives have received vaccinations against the coronavirus without being in the priority groups.

“I would like to stress the importance of transparency where there are queues and queues for the vaccinePiechowski said.

More generally, he commented: “Corruption is a scourge in countries around the world. We know it poisons governments and rots all of society. “

For her part, Heide Fulton, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Programs for the Western Hemisphere, consulted on these scandals, stressed the importance of preventive work in strengthening state systems and structures. , to “minimize the spaces in which corruption can thrive”.

On Tuesday, the State Department presented the Prize “International Champions in the fight against corruption”, with twelve laureates, including two Latin Americans: Ardian Dvorani from Albania, Attorney General Diana Salazar of Ecuador, Sophia Pretrick of the Federated States of Micronesia, Juan Francisco Sandoval Alfaro of Guatemala (head of the special prosecutor against impunity), Ibrahima Kalil Gueye from Guinea, Anjali Bhardwaj from India, Dhuha A. Mohammed from Iraq, Bolot Temirov from Kyrgyz Republic, Mustafa Abdullah Sanalla from Libya, Victor Sotto from the Philippines, Francis Ben Kaifala from Sierra Leone and Ruslan Ryaboshapka from Ukraine .

“Around the world, corruption threatens security and stability, hinders economic growth, undermines democracy and human rights, destroys trust in public institutions, facilitates transnational crime and diverts public and private resources “, did he declare. In a statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

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