Baby bottle is prohibited in Venezuela

The measure is due to the reform of a law that seeks to ban advertising and dissemination of prepared nutrient drugs, as well as consumption in children under six months in health centres.

The National Assembly expected to study the reform of the law on the promotion and protection of maternal breastfeeding, whose purpose is to encourage the feeding of the mother before this type of food  in the newborn.

This proposal, which was exposed by the Socialist Party (PSUV), that belongs to President Nicolas Maduro,  seeks to impose sanctions from  $674 to  $50.952, has raised controversy.

The purpose of this Bill is to prohibit the free delivery of the products and a reform in the labour law which requires companies to grant them a space so mothers can feed infants. Other than breast milk beverages may only occur under medical indication.

Congresswoman Odalis Monzon, Vice-President of the Commission for family, indicated that it will act in the same way as the removal of  the promotion of tobacco from the media.

Moreover, Dinorah Figuera, Deputy of the opposition party argued that the initial Act (2007) sought to “try to sensitize mothers”, not “to practically is criminalise  those who have opted for formula milk”, referring to the companies in the sector.

In addition, Figuera believes that it is quite possible that the Government try to make use of “elements” of the law as “coercive mechanism in search of limiting the action of entrepreneurship in the country”.