Donald Trump’s chainsaw advances on social assistance funds and threatens millions of people in Latin America

The almost total suspension of these funds, as well as the progressive dismantling of the American Development Aid (USAID) agency will mean “many layoffs, and there are many communities that are going to be affected,” said Juana García Duque, a teacher in International cooperation at the University of Los Andes, in Bogotá.

The expert mentioned that these aid in the region benefit “millions of people.”

In 2023, USAID disbursed about 1.7 billion dollars in Latin America and the Caribbean, According to the latest figures in Foreignnasistance, website that publishes the data of the international aid of the United States. With these funds, the agency finances NGOs, public institutions and United Nations programs.

Colombia, subject to the violence of drug trafficking and armed groups, is from afar the first beneficiary nation. It is followed by Haiti, harassed by gangs, and several countries in Central America that are among the poorest in the region.

About 25% of USAID’s help for Latin America was allocated to Colombia, partly for the implementation of the Peace Agreement signed in 2016 with the extinct guerrillas of the FARC. The funds represent less than 1% of that country’s GDP.

But for some nations of Central America, on the other hand, the situation “is more difficult because a large part of its economy depends on these external resources,” said García Duque.

In Peru, where USAID finances “food programs, anti -drugs, employment, environment, health and promotion of democracy. NGO Promsex feminist organization.

In the Amazon, “deforestation will grow, drug trafficking, illicit mining,” said Oswaldo Muca Castizo, general coordinator of the National Organization of Indigenous Peoples of the Colombian Amazon (Opiac).

Young people who remain without opportunities could join Criminal bands that deforest the jungle to sow coca leafhe explains.

In Bucaramanga, northeast of Colombia, the impact was almost immediate. The Foundation between two lands, which helps without home and migrants, mostly from neighboring Venezuela, had to close.

Financed in almost 80% by USAID, he used 16 people and distributed about 600 meals every day.

“All this is paralyzed because there are no resources, the city is aggravated by the situation,” just when she welcomes displaced from the Catatumbo region, bordering Venezuela, for clashes between guerrillas, said Alba Pereira, director of the Foundation .

“The migrant women who are in pregnancy are only going to address child “alarming”.

García Duque thinks that this freezing of aid would only be temporary, and hopes rather that there is “a redirection.”

According to the expert, the United States needs this “foreign policy tool” to address Anti -drug and migration fight priorities.

In addition, an American withdrawal could strengthen other actors, particularly China, whose growing influence in Latin America Washington wants to reduce.

Luis Linares, an analyst at the Guatemala Investigation and Social Studies Association believes that “there are programs that are very important and coinciding with the priorities of the United States government in the issue of security, justice.”

These initiatives, which are added to food aids, remain “key to the country.” While projects related to sexual minorities “are surely going to be reduced or if not, reorient, but others will be canceled,” the analyst predicted.

Also in Guatemala, Lambda, an organization that works for the rights of LGBTQ people, already had to suspend a prevention and support project for people with HIVas well as virus detection tests.

USAID, questioned by some Latin American governments that accuse the United States of interference and lack of transparency, is the object of new criticism for its dismantling.

In Mexico, President Claudia Sheinbaum and her predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador have accused the agency to finance “opposition groups.”

“If there are going to be aid that opens another type of channels,” said Sheinbaum, who is in favor of the agency’s closure.