Foot-and-mouth disease vaccination plan is extended to June 30

Published at: 04/06/2026 09:23 PM

From the state of Zulia, the Minister for Productive Agriculture and Lands, Vladímir Padrino López, announced this Thursday the extension, until June 30, of the first vaccination cycle against foot-and-mouth disease to continue advancing the protocol for the international certification of the country free of the disease.

“Today I visited Santa Bárbara del Zulia, in the south of Lake Maracaibo, the agricultural epicenter of Venezuela and home of the Catatumbo Lightning. There I met with the governor, mayors, producers, foundations, INSAI veterinarians, farmers and representatives of indigenous ethnic groups, with the objective of promoting the certification campaign against foot-and-mouth disease. From this place “Venezuela's pantry”, I called for strengthening the organization and unity of all sectors to successfully fulfill this strategic task. In addition, I ordered an extension of the vaccination period to June 30 to ensure greater coverage. Seeing in the eyes of farmers and producers the commitment to this effort, I am more than convinced that Venezuela will continue to strengthen its agricultural potential. Let's go then!” , the minister wrote in his account on the social network Telegram.

The agricultural director provided the information from the supervision of a day of immunization of the cattle herd in the municipality of Colón, one of the main livestock axes of the entity, where he stressed that the country does not report outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, “here what we have is to go ahead with the certificate”.

He stressed that the fundamental thing of this vaccination plan, in addition to guaranteeing the animal health of the cow and buffalo population, is to obtain certification from the World Organization for Animal Health (WHO) for the opening of the Venezuelan livestock sector to the international market and thus contribute to the formula of producing, supplying and exporting. He also stressed to producers that it is a matter of not returning to the oil rentier model and of consolidating agri-food sovereignty with a firm policy of import substitution.

During the day held at the Santa Rosa farm, Minister Padrino López and Governor Luis Caldera delivered more than six thousand free doses to small producers, highlighting the commitment of the Bolivarian Government to health protection and strengthening livestock production in the state of Zulia.

“I am sure, as a soldier that I am, as a peasant that I am now and I join you, in the efforts of all of you, that we are going to move forward with a much more prosperous, much more developed Venezuela and, as we have always been, a great power,” said the head of this ministerial portfolio.

It also provided a vehicle equipment to the staff of the Institute for Integral Agricultural Health (INSAI), attached to the South of the Lake headquarters, to ensure their mobility in the deployment of the assisted social plan, a program in favor of small producers, through which they purchase the vaccine and the entity provides the application free of charge in the production units.

During his visit to the Zulian entity, Minister Padrino López also noted, in the municipality of Colón, the value chain of oil palm produced in that area, which has a high potential for export.

Mazo News Team