Many organizations in Mexico — including the federal government — have been left in a state of limbo after United States President Trump announced plans to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on Monday.
In 2023, the U.S. was the largest source of foreign aid in the world, with USAID disbursing roughly $45 billion to international programs. According to the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), the State Department and USAID together allocated $2.6 billion to over 2,000 programs across 20 Latin American countries that same year.
🚨 Trump’s decision to freeze foreign aid to Latin America is an “America Last” policy. It weakens democracy, fuels migration, and empowers corruption.
📊 WOLA’s latest analysis breaks down the consequences. Swipe through the carousel & read more here ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/cuScRHm0j6
— WOLA (@WOLA_org) February 4, 2025
On Jan. 20, Trump signed an executive order temporarily suspending all U.S. foreign development assistance programs for 90 days, pending reviews to assess whether they aligned with his policy goals. Then, on Jan. 24, the State Department ordered a sweeping freeze on new funding for most U.S. foreign assistance.
On Monday, it was reported that President Trump and the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Elon Musk “agreed” to close USAID.
“He [Trump] agreed we should shut it down,” Musk said during a live session on X on Monday. “It became apparent that it’s not an apple with a worm in it … What we have is just a ball of worms. You’ve got to basically get rid of the whole thing. It’s beyond repair. We’re shutting it down.”
USAID was formed in 1961 to administer aid to foreign countries to promote social and economic development. Trump and Musk, as well as Republican legislators, have previously criticized the agency for funding progressive causes abroad.
In Mexico, USAID allocated approximately $71 million in 2023, supporting civic initiatives related to human rights, anti-corruption, missing persons and environmental protection, among others.
“This [cut] is causing great uncertainty and alarm among implementing partners: civil society organizations, international organizations and contractors throughout the region,” warned WOLA in a statement on Jan. 31.
Mexican projects affected by a freeze in US foreign assistance
Around 70% of Latin American missions working with migrants, refugees and human rights will reduce their staff, while 77% will see budget cuts, according to a WOLA survey.
“The elimination of these programs would not only harm individuals and groups in Mexico but could undermine the current administration’s approach to migration, weakening efforts to address the root causes of migration, such as crime and insecurity,” said WOLA.
In Mexico, USAID provides funding to the Mexican government for the forensic identification of missing persons. With over 120,000 recorded cases of missing persons nationwide, the cuts threaten to worsen what experts have called Mexico’s “forensic crisis.”
USAID also supports several environmental causes in Mexico, funding conservation and sustainable development projects in the states of Campeche, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Veracruz and Yucatán.
In addition, a long list of independent media projects in Mexico receive partial funding from USAID.
President Sheinbaum’s response to the impending closure of USAID
On Tuesday, President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to news of USAID’s impending closure positively, mentioning that the agency had financed the political opposition.
“USAID has so many things that, the truth is, yes, it is better they close it. And that, in any case, if there is going to be aid for different types, they should open other types of channels; that they be transparent, that is the issue, the big issue,” said Sheinbaum in her Tuesday morning press conference.
🇲🇽MEXICO’s PRESIDENT
SHEINBAUM:“There are so many things inside USAID that yes, it is best if they shut it down”
— José Díaz Briseño (@diazbriseno) February 5, 2025
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele also accused USAID of financing political opponents.
“While marketed as support for development, democracy, and human rights, the majority of these funds are funneled into opposition groups, NGOs with political agendas, and destabilizing movements,” Bukele wrote on the X media site.
On Tuesday, President Trump announced all USAID employees would be placed on administrative leave starting Friday, Feb. 7.
With reports from Milenio, El Universal, Yahoo News, Devex and The Associated Press
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Good for la presidenta!
So everyone knows, this >>
On Jan. 20, Trump signed an executive order temporarily suspending all U.S. foreign development assistance programs for 90 days, pending reviews to assess whether they aligned with his policy goals.
is illegal and unconstitutional — budgets are allocated in laws passed by Congress and the president has a constitutional duty to “faithfully execute the law.” He can’t do whatever he wants based on his “policy goals.” If his policy goals don’t align with how things are going, go to Congress and get them to change it. But the President does not get to unilaterally decide this stuff — *as long as the Constitution applies*. This is really a kind of ongoing executive power coup against the constitutional order.
Spending is controlled by the executive, Trump can do as he wishes with this money. He can choose to not fund a tranny opera in Columbia or a tranny comic book in Peru. He alone has the authority for that not Congress. Congress establishes the USAID, and Trump hasn’t closed it. He moved it under the Sec of State and is now Rubio’s charge. But how the money is spent is totally the purview of the executive not the legislative. You should really understand the Constitution better.
You’re wrong. Under Article 1 of the Constitution the power of the purse lies in Congress. Appropriations are contained in laws and the president has a constitutional duty to “faithfully execute the laws.” If you’re in favor of disregarding the Constitution and letting trump be a king, just admit it.
It’s common knowledge, recently verified by investigation of USAID that USAID is a financial pipeline to covert agents ( including CIA) around the world. FYI, Mexico is chock full of CIA.
Well I’m glad President Trump is over seeing the useless spending in our government we shouldn’t be the welfare state for the entire world. Whether is unconstitutional that’s something to be proven but I do care where my taxes dollars are spent on. I don’t believe everything the incompetent Democrats say.
@maria: agreed. Most of the expert Democrats have never practiced law, and one need only remember the non president the USA has had for the last four years to spot the hypocrisy.
Now the Constitutional “Experts” come out! lmfao
You don’t have to be an expert to know how spending works under the Constitution (although I am a lawyer). It’s among the most basic constitutional principles. The fact that people apparently don’t know it is an embarrassment to whatever education systems they grew up in.
In the United States, spending is overseen by both the Executive Branch and Congress, but in different ways:
Executive Branch
1. *Budget Proposal*: The President submits a budget proposal to Congress, outlining proposed spending and revenue projections.
2. *Executive Agencies*: Executive branch agencies, such as the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), manage and implement federal programs, including spending.
Congress
1. *Appropriations*: Congress has the power of the purse, granting funds for government programs and services through appropriations bills.
2. *Authorization*: Congress authorizes spending through legislation, setting limits on how much can be spent on specific programs.
3. *Oversight*: Congress conducts oversight of federal spending through committee hearings, investigations, and audits.
Checks and Balances
The system of checks and balances ensures that neither branch has complete control over spending. For example:
– Congress can reject the President’s budget proposal or modify it.
– The President can veto appropriations bills, but Congress can override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote.
This division of power helps prevent any one branch from dominating the spending process.
This is for Mr. Mullins 😉
Thank you for laying out the facts, Caguichie.
Also, the US Impoundment Control Act says that if Congress appropriates money, the President has to spend it, and on the specific purpose that Congress intended, unless he goes back to Congress and asks permission to rescind those funds or defer spending them. So trump and musk are in violation of the law as well as the Constitution.
If people are okay with that, they should just say so. But they can’t expect anyone outside right-wing media bubbles to accept trump’s lies and delusions as facts.
Yes. One offshore speak with Aid agency on a project left me to conclude same. CIA has used all types of covers, some obvious but so have Russians etc. But why not focus the billions of dollars to help America first? I’m liberal but our elder, homeless, hungry, sick society and child care programs need the funds.
The DOD needs to be audited Let’s see if Trump has guys and honesty for that. Of
Shut it down. It’s an illegal money laundering grift. It was started with an executive order… it can be ended the same way. Foreign aid should be given but closely monitored and limited. Transparency is critical.
You got that right. Trump needs to “shut down” USAID and all the corruption involved. Lots of people and organization all over the world, are going to feel the “hurt” but it has to be made.