According to reports, the US intends to divert $41.9 million, originally earmarked for development aid to Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, to support the Venezuelan opposition leader by Juan Guaidó.
Venezuela’s Foreign Minister, Jorge Arreaza, denounced this in a tweet, stating: ‘In its obsessive and continued aggression, the U.S. government redirects funds that were intended for social development projects in Central America to finance the coup d’etat in Venezuela. Money that your coup friends will surely steal.”
What’s going on in Venezuela?
In January, Juan Guaidó launched a campaign to unseat Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The National Assembly, under the leadership of Guaidó, impeached the president citing that the election that brought in Maduro was illegitimate. Guaidó was named interim president has been recognised by over 50 countries including the U.S.
With Maduro still clinging to power, the power tussle has pushed Venezuela further into economic hardship.
US President Trump says he is committedto democracy in Venezuela and to
Guaidó’s administration. A US department spokesperson said: “Working with Congress, we are exploring reprogramming some of the funding towards promoting democracy in Venezuela, including supporting the interim Guaido government and National Assembly.”
