Marco Rubio ratifies the suspension of US aid to Colombia “until each concession has been reviewed”
The head of US diplomacy, Marco Rubio, ordered on Friday to freeze practically all foreign aid, with the exception of that destined for Israel and Egypt, according to an internal circular.
“No new funds will be allocated (…) until each new concession or proposed extension has been reviewed and approved,” according to “the agenda of President” Donald Trump, reads the note to which AFP had access.
Emergency food aid is exempt, but the circular does not mention Ukraine, which received billions of dollars in aid under Democrat Joe Biden’s previous administration to defend itself against Russia. suggesting that this one is also frozen.
The circular is a consequence of a decree signed by Trump on Monday, the day of his inauguration, which orders a freeze on US foreign aid for 90 days.
“The foreign aid sector and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and in many cases are opposed to American values (…); “They serve to destabilize world peace by promoting ideas in foreign countries that are directly inverse to harmonious and stable relations within and between countries,” according to the decree signed by Trump.
“No more foreign assistance from the United States will be disbursed in a manner that is not fully aligned with the foreign policy of the President of the United States,” added the text in the decree.
Israel and Egypt are among the countries that receive the most US military assistance.
Rubio’s memo, which justifies the freeze, states that it is impossible for the new administration to evaluate whether existing foreign aid commitments “they are not duplicated, they are effective and they are consistent with President Trump’s foreign policy.”
The Republican assured in the decree that “the United States foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests and, in many cases, are contrary to American values.”
In March 2024, US President Joe Biden presented Congress with a fiscal year 2025 budget proposal that included an allocation of approximately $413 million in aid to Colombia.
This figure represented a 7% reduction compared to the 444 million requested for the previous fiscal year. The most significant cut was seen in funds allocated to the fight against drugs, which decreased from 160 million to 135 million dollars, that is, 15% less.
*With information from AFP.
