By NAN Business Editor
News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Oct. 26, 2018: Donald Trump has made a lot of noise recently about cutting off aid to Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador in light of a caravan of people from Central America walking to the US’ southern border. But how much aid exactly did the US give to the Caribbean and Central America in 2017? Here are the facts according to News Americas’ research in order of the countries receiving the most money and for what issues:
Haiti
$301,625,974 with $58,281,849 disbursed to fund the AIDS fight through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief – PEPFAR Operational Plan Programs.
Mexico
$283,099,204, with most or $187,661,659 and $44,489,000 disbursed to essentially fight narco-trafficking.
Guatemala
$248,766,868, with most or $30,016,000 disbursed to provide foreign governments with support for the counter-drug activities of that government, such as training and equipment.
El Salvador
$115,166,683 with most of $6,444,941 disbursed to fund the El Salvador Violence and Crime Prevention Project to improve the ability of communities, municipalities and national institutions to address violent crime.
Honduras
$175,115,348 with most of $14,423,000 disbursed to provide foreign governments with support for the counter-drug activities of that government, such as training and equipment.
The Dominican Republic
$ 58,742,715 with majority of $6,466,830 disbursed to fund the AIDS fight through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief – PEPFAR Operational Plan Programs.
Nicaragua
$43,431,959 with most or $3,607,497 disbursed to fund a five-year Municipal Governance Program aimed to help Municipal Governments to improve the delivery of basic public services to their constituents by various specific objectives including democracy, citizenship engagement etc.
Jamaica
$41,590,848 with the majority of $3,038,767 disbursed to the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI) supported anti-corruption activity is to build on prior CBSI accomplishments of combating corruption and strengthening integrity within government and society and to ensure that national ineffectiveness in fighting corruption continues to be challenged and public demand for action against corruption is consolidated and sustained.
Panama
$21,786,080 with $10,630,000 disbursed to enable the Secretary of Defense to provide foreign governments with support for the counter-drug activities of that government, such as training and equipment.
Cuba
$14,840,050 with the majority of $2,762,161 pledged to protect refugees and migrant programs but zero doled out in 2017.
Costa Rica
$10,500,750 with majority or $1,311,985 disbursed to fund the ×
U.S. Peace Corps Overseas Program in the country.
Belize
$8,708,938 with 4,933,000 pledged and disbursed to fund Counter-narcotics Programs under the U.S. Southern Command.
Guyana
$5,086,473 pledged with $1,647,260 disbursed to fund the AIDS fight through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief – PEPFAR Operational Plan Programs.
The Bahamas
$1,178,736 – with $861,000 pledged and disbursed to fund Counter-narcotics Programs under the U.S. Southern Command.
Barbados
$ 762,251- with $694,000 pledged and disbursed to fund Counter-narcotics Programs under the U.S. Southern Command.
Dominica
$435,873 with $258,481 pledged to the provision of effective protection, assistance, and durable solutions for refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and other victims of conflict and disasters but zero disbursed.
Antigua & Barbuda
$ 366,302 – with most of the money or $135,287 pledged to providing vital habitats for some 122 neotropical migrants and 61 birds of Conservation Concern but zero disbursed.
Grenada
200,897 pledged with majority or $170,897 set for training over an 18-month period to 20 competitively selected emerging Caribbean conservation leaders by qualified professionals through workshops, short courses, experiential project management and problem solving. Only $28,800 was disbursed.
Saint Kitts & Nevis
$179,790 with majority of $68,250 disbursed to help with the Preservation and Interpretation of the Early 20th-Century Spooners Cotton Ginnery.
Saint Vincent & The Grenadines
$85,152 pledged and majority of $30,000 disbursed to fund Counter-narcotics Programs under the U.S. Southern Command.
Saint Lucia
$17,787 pledged and disbursed to fund the DHS Transportation Security Administration’s International Aviation Security Technical Training.
