US triples regime-change aid to Guaido, doling out $52mn to restore ‘democratic governance’ in Venezuela
The US says it’s giving another hefty allowance to the Venezuela opposition in addition “to hundreds of millions of dollars” it already provided, pledging “full support” to self-declared ‘interim president’ Juan Guaido.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) earmarked $52 million “in development assistance” to help Guaido and his supporters “restore citizen-responsive, democratic governance to their country,” Administrator Mark Green announced Tuesday.
The funds would go towards supporting the opposition-controlled National Assembly, declared illegitimate by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in 2017, as well as to prop up “independent media, civil society, and restoration of the health sector.”
Also on rt.com US may attempt to sabotage Venezuela’s parliamentary vote in 2020, Maduro saysGreen made the announcement after meeting with Guaido-appointed ‘Ambassador to the US’ Carlos Vecchio, and ‘Commissioner for Foreign Affairs’ Julio Borges, who Maduro singled out as a mastermind behind the failed drone assassination attempt on August 4, 2018.
In the press release, Green said that Washington “fully supports” Guaido and his backers “as they work to end the illegitimate Maduro regime,” calling the generous handout “another example” of the US commitment to help the people of Venezuela “to recover their country.”
It was reported that the money to be provided to Guaido is part of about $370 million in aid permanently diverted by the Trump administration from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras over their failure to stop caravans of Central American migrants.
It’s unclear how the money would eventually help Venezuelans, who are bearing the brunt of crippling economic sanctions. The cash will be administered through parties cherry-picked by Washington, Guaido’s office said in a tweet, adding that the opposition would not be responsible for the distribution of the money.
Agradecemos a EEUU, su Congreso y a @USAIDMarkGreen este nuevo respaldo. Para garantizar la efectividad y transparencia, hemos definido que dicha adminitración estará a cargo de organizaciones internacionales y su contraloría será realizada por autoridades de EEUU.
— Centro de Comunicación Nacional (@Presidencia_VE) September 24, 2019
The fact that the money would not be funneled directly to Guaido officials seems to be a savvy precaution, given reports that millions of dollars raised for “freedom and democracy” in Venezuela at an event organized by Richard Branson in February was embezzled by high-ranking Guaido staffers.
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