What are the health risks that caused Coke Zero to be banned in Venezuela?”
The Venezuelan government of U.S.-critic President Hugo Chavez on Wednesday ordered Coca-Cola Co to withdraw its Coke Zero beverage from the South American nation, citing unspecified dangers to health. The decision follows a wave of nationalizations and increased scrutiny of businesses in South America’s top oil exporter. Health Minister Jesus Mantilla said the zero-calorie Coke Zero should no longer be sold and stocks of the drink removed from store shelves while the government investigated its ingredients. “The product should be withdrawn from circulation to preserve the health of Venezuelans,” the minister said in comments reported by the government’s news agency. Coca Cola said Coke Zero contains no harmful ingredients, but that it will stop production and remove the product from shelves during the ongoing investigation. “Coca Cola Zero is made under the highest quality standards around the world and meets the sanitary requirements demanded by the laws of the Bolivarian Republic of
In the latest bit of strife between Coca-Cola Co. and Venezuela, the government banned the sale of Coke Zero, a diet soft drink introduced in the country in April. Jesus Mantilla, Venezuela’s health minister, said Wednesday evening that after government officials inspected Coca-Cola’s operations they concluded that Coke Zero could pose health risks to consumers. While agreeing to suspend production of the soft drink and to withdraw the beverages from its retail network, the Venezuelan subsidiary of Coca-Cola said in a prepared statement that the drink “doesn’t have any components that can be harmful to people’s health” The government’s concern over Coke Zero stems from a component in the no-calorie drink, said Rosy Alvarez, a spokeswoman for the Coke subsidiary. “We were notified on Wednesday of their concern and have started a process of demonstrating that there are no health risks,” she said.
