Trump diverts $40 million in Central American humanitarian aid to help Guaido coup in Venezuela

(July 17) The Trump administration has informed the US Congress that it intends to divert $40 million in humanitarian aid for Central American countries and give it to the Venezuelan opposition in support of Juan Guaido and his US-financed coup attempt.

+ Add Image	1 of 2

USAID to dispense the funds

USAID is nominally a humanitarian aid body but it is often used to subsidize covert actions. USAID informed the US Congress that the diverted $40 million would be used to pay for salaries and other expenses of the Guaido rebel government budget.

Funding the Guaido attempted coup claimed to be in the US national interest

USAID argues that the funding of Guaido's "government" is in the US national interest. Guaido declared himself the interim president of Venezuela and he was immediately recognized as such by the US and many other countries. So far, however, the government led by Nicolas Maduro has managed to remain in power and still has the support of the armed forces. The Venezuelan economy is in very bad shape to a considerable extent caused by US sanctions.

Reuters describes in more detail the purpose of the funds: "The congressional notification from the U.S. Agency for International Development said the money will instead be used for salaries, travel, communications equipment, technical assistance and training for the management of a government budget and other needs for the Venezuelan opposition.The memorandum, dated July 11, says the funds are necessary because of “a significant, exigent event in the U.S. national interest, specifically the rapidly evolving crisis in Venezuela.”

Maduro said the payment gave even further proof that Guaido is a puppet funded by the US.

Trump cut could further punish Central American countries

Aid cuts further punish countries such as El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras all three of which Trump has been punishing because they send immigrants up through Mexico to the US border. As a recent Reuters report notes: "U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration on Monday cut hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, after Trump blasted the three countries because thousands of their citizens had sought asylum at the U.S. border with Mexico." The appended video also report on the earlier cuts.

Previously published in the Digital Journal