In 2019 Venezuela, U.S. sanctions are wreaking havoc. Broken cars sit along roadsides, because there are no parts to fix them. Water systems are failing, because replacement parts can’t be purchased from abroad. Health supplies are hard to find. In particular, medicine.

But neighbors in one Caracas commune are standing up for each other. They’ve created a community pharmacy. They get the medicine from anywhere they can. Donations from abroad. From individuals. Solidarity groups. It’s all free. A sign sits out front. "Communal Pharmacy. Health for the Barrio."

This is the sixth episode of Stories of Resistance.

Stories of Resistance is a new project, co-produced by The Real News and Global Exchange. Each week, we’ll bring you stories of resistance like this. Inspiration for dark times.

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This is our last week of the Kickstarter campaign we launched to help get the series off the ground.  You can support it by clicking here: Stories of Resistance: Inspiration for Dark Times

Written and produced by Michael Fox.

You can find out more about the communal pharmacy in Michael’s 2019 story for The Real News.  

Here is a report by the Washington-based Center for Economic and Policy Research, which looks at the thousands of deaths that occurred in Venezuela during this period due to US sanctions.

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