From Europe to South America, US allies are complaining about the superpower’s “Wild West” tactics in outbidding or blocking shipments to buyers who have already signed deals for vital medical supplies.
US PAY ABOVE THE MARKET FOR MEDICAL MASKS
In France and Germany, senior officials said the United States was paying far above the market price for medical-grade masks from No. 1 producer China, on occasion winning contracts through higher bids even after European buyers believed a deal was done, and Brazil’s health minister reported a similar incident.
“Money is irrelevant. They pay any price because they are desperate,” one high-level official in German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling CDU/CSU group told Reuters. A German government source said: “Americans are on the move, carrying a lot of money.”
“THERE IS A CONSTANT FIGHT”
In Brazil, Health Minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta said this week that China had ditched some Brazilian equipment orders when the US government sent more than 20 cargo planes to the country to buy the same products.
In France, three regional leaders painted a similar picture. Jean Rottner said it was a constant fight to ensure mask orders arrived in his Grand Est region, where the outbreak first took hold before spreading west towards Paris.
Turkey, on the other hand, started distributing free face masks to citizens to stem the spread of corornavirus in the country.
Turkey also has send medical supplies including face masks to Spain and Italy last week. “Upon the instructions of President [Recep Tayyip Erdogan], health supplies consisting of masks, overalls and anti-bacterial fluids, produced domestically in the Defence Ministry’s factories and sewing facilities with local resources, will be sent by TAF aircraft to Italy and Spain to combat COVID-19,“ Turkish Defense Ministry said on Twitter.
Turkey sends medical aid to Italy, Spain WATCH