NEW YORK, July 29 (UPI) -- UNICEF has called on the Venezuelan government to prioritize the needs of children and teenagers amid a crippling economic crisis that has led to shortages of food and medicine.
"UNICEF calls for any dialogue, as well as any action of the state and of society, to have the best interest of the child and the absolute priority of children at its core," UNICEF said in a statement following U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's call for dialogue between the administration of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the political opposition and non-governmental organizations to create solutions.