Donald Trump cut support budget for Latin America but asks to reserve $ 500 million to help Venezuela

US President Donald Trump has asked Congress to cut aid to Latin America, while allowing the state department to reserve $ 500 million to "meet the crisis "in Venezuela and "support a democratic transition", in the budget proposal presented on Monday.

The government released Monday its draft budget for the fiscal year 2020 (October 2019 to September 2020), which is rather a statement of prioritiesbecause there is little possibility of advancing in a divided Congress, where Republicans control the Senate and Democrats the House of Representatives.

The plan includes a 23% discount for the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development (Usaid), who now have $ 52,000 Million Approved by Congress to Trump's $ 40,000 Million in 2020.

In a letter to Congress, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo He explained that his department needed "appropriate resources" to achieve its goal.s, among which included "Support the people of Venezuela against tyranny."

Therefore, as stated by the State Department in a statement, The Executive reserves the possibility to transfer up to $ 500 million of other funds to "react to the crisis" in Venezuela o "support a democratic transition" in this country.

If the budget has been approved by Congress, the state department office devoted to Latin America would suffer a reduction of nearly 27%since he has $ 158 million and Trump only asked for 116 million.

The US president has repeatedly threatened to cut aid to the North Triangle of Central America (El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala), but his budget plan includes amounts very similar to those requested last year, although Congress finally approved more funds for all these countries.

More specifically, in the section on economic programs, the government demands 45 million from El Salvador (18% less than Congress has approved); 65.6 million for Guatemala (almost 30% less than current funds); and 65 million for Honduras, which amounts to the same amount as Trump asked for, but 13% less than the legislator had approved.

To the funds for each country must be added the amounts devoted to security programs, democracy and the fight against drug trafficking. o l & # 39; immigration, among others.

This time, Trump has asked for more help to fight drugs in Latin America: this year, he asked for 484 million euros against 390 million dollars last year.

Nearly half of these funds ($ 209 million) would go to Colombia, which currently has $ 143 million.

(With information from EFE)