Refugee Crisis: US Cuts Aid to Central American Countries
As the refugee crisis deepens with migrants from Central American countries entering the United States, the US president has cut aid to three countries: El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Trump has also threatened to close the Mexico border.
The United States is cutting its aid to three Central American countries: El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The US State Department announced this news on Saturday, Farvardin 10 (March 30), one day after Donald Trump said these three countries have created migrant caravans to enter the United States, according to CNN.
Donald Trump, the US president, said on Friday: “We pay them (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras) a lot of money and we will no longer give them this money. Because they are doing nothing for us.”
A US State Department spokesperson told CNN: “In accordance with the president’s order, we have cut financial aid programs to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, which are known as the Northern Triangle. We will also coordinate with Congress on this matter.”
The Honduran government reacted to this move on Saturday and condemned what it called “contradictory” US policies.
Honduran officials announced they will continue cooperation with El Salvador and Guatemala to present solutions for the Northern Triangle, even as these officials believe internal differences over international cooperation have been resolved.
In a tweet in October, Trump had complained that these countries were not preventing their citizens from leaving the country and illegally entering US soil, and had threatened to severely reduce or cut US aid to the Northern Triangle.
However, experts believe that cutting financial aid to the three Central American countries will lead to increased migration from these countries to the United States.
Threat to Close Mexico Border
Donald Trump said on Friday that there is a strong possibility he will close US border crossings with Mexico in the coming week. This comes as a wave of refugees from Central American countries enter the United States through the Mexico border.
Source: DW
