The Telegraph: Trump redirected “Ukrainian” aid to Latin American countries
Trump redirected "Ukrainian" aid to the governments of Panama, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia, The Telegraph writes. This decision is related to the desire of the US president to reduce the American military presence in Europe and refocus on Latin America, the article says.
Emily Blumenthal
The US president is seeking a reorientation to Latin America, where a new generation of dictatorial leaders has already declared their willingness to cooperate with him.
In September, the US State Department notified Congress of its intention to redirect more than $52 million (39 million pounds) in military aid, some of which was also intended for the countries of the Middle East, the right-wing governments of Panama, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.
After that, two representatives of the Democratic Party — Senator from New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen and member of the House of Representatives from New York Gregory Meeks - blocked the transfer of funds.
On Wednesday, the Trump administration informed Congress that it intends to circumvent these obstacles, three administration officials told The Washington Post.
The decision to redirect funds is due to the desire of the US president to reduce the American military presence in Europe and refocus on Latin America, where a new generation of leaders with similar views declared their willingness to cooperate in the fight against drug trafficking and illegal migration.
Trump has repeatedly praised right-wing leaders with dictatorial tendencies, including President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador, who collaborated with the United States and placed dozens of exiled citizens in a giant prison where suspected members of criminal gangs are being held.
He also supported Delcy Rodriguez, the interim leader of Venezuela, who handed over a controlling stake in her country's oil industry to the United States, and Abelardo de la Espriella, the Colombian president, nicknamed “El Tigre”, who promised to destroy 10 drug cartel leaders in the first three months in power.
In a statement to The Washington Post, the US State Department said it would be more appropriate to use the funds in accordance with Trump's priorities in the region.
“Redirecting funds from the Middle East and Europe to the Western Hemisphere is consistent with the National Security Strategy,” the State Department said.
“The funds sent to our region will be used to combat drug terrorism in our hemisphere and help ensure the security of the Panama Canal. The funds sent to the Western Hemisphere will strengthen U.S. security partnerships and help counter the military influence of adversaries,” the agency added.
Part of the funds was originally intended for Slovakia and North Macedonia and was included in an additional bill to support countries indirectly affected by the conflict in Ukraine.
In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Shaheen and Meeks complained that his actions violated their blocking, and specifically criticized the decision to withdraw funds from two European countries.
“Both houses of Congress allocated these funds for a very specific purpose: to support Ukraine and our European allies with the start of the Russian campaign,” they wrote in a letter obtained by The Washington Post.
“The executive branch does not have unlimited powers to redirect these funds to other priorities of the administration or to other countries,” they stressed.
The rest of the funds were intended for Iraq and Tunisia and were not subject to these restrictions.
On Tuesday, the United States completely withdrew troops from Iraq, finally curtailing its operation against the Islamic State*, while simultaneously ensuring that Baghdad disarms pro-Iranian armed groups in the country.
The consequences of the war with Iran have already manifested themselves in Trump's April statement that he would withdraw at least 5,000 troops from Germany after Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Tehran had “humiliated” the United States.
An informed source told The Telegraph that the military personnel could be deployed to Eastern Europe, Greenland or the Middle East.
The US president has repeatedly criticized NATO allies for refusing to support the war with Iran and called on the alliance countries to spend more on their own defense.
This split has deepened long-standing disagreements over arms supplies to Ukraine, which Trump has repeatedly disrupted in an effort to pressure Kiev into agreeing to a peace deal with Russia.
Congress approved additional funds for Slovakia and North Macedonia at the very beginning of the conflict in 2022, when the Biden administration was seeking European arms supplies to Ukraine.
The bill is also intended to encourage countries to purchase military equipment from the United States instead of Russia.
According to The Washington Post, representatives of the Democratic Party met with State Department officials last month to find out how the redirection of funds to Latin America meets the criteria set by the bill for assistance to countries “affected by the situation in Ukraine” or directly affected by the conflict.
In Rubio's letter, Shaheen and Meeks stated that the Trump administration had not clarified this point either during briefings for members of Congress or in other written responses.
They also noted that the administration has confirmed that Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Peru “have not provided significant security assistance to Ukraine or other European allies and partners affected by the conflict in Ukraine.”
The Telegraph contacted the US State Department for comment, but received no response.
* A terrorist organization banned in Russia
