Latin America
Related: About this forumU.S. to pull El Salvador funds on 'deep concerns' over recent dismissals
May 21, 2021
6:06 PM CDT
Americas
Reuters
3 minute read
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is pulling aid from El Salvador's national police and a public information institute and will instead redirect the funding to civil society groups, the agency's head said in a statement on Friday.
The statement cited concerns over votes earlier this month by legislative allies of President Nayib Bukele to oust the attorney general and top judges.
USAID Administrator Samantha Power expressed "deep concerns" with the dismissals as well as "larger concerns about transparency and accountability" in the Central American country.
The earmarked funds will now go to "promoting transparency, combating corruption and monitoring human rights" in concert with local civil society groups, the statement said, without specifying the amount of money in question.
More:
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/usaid-pull-el-salvador-government-aid-due-transparency-concerns-2021-05-21/
Judi Lynn
(160,217 posts)BY RAFAEL BERNAL - 05/21/21 05:26 PM EDT
The U.S. Agency for International Development on Friday pulled funding for certain sectors of El Salvador's government, granting those benefits to civil society groups.
In a statement, USAID Administrator Samantha Power said the move was a reaction to the Salvadoran government's decision to remove the country's top judges.
"USAID has deep concerns regarding the Salvadoran Legislative Assembly's May 1st vote to remove the Attorney General and all five magistrates of the Constitutional Chamber of El Salvador's Supreme Court, and larger concerns about transparency and accountability," said Power.
"In response, USAID is redirecting assistance away from these institutions, the National Civilian Police, and the Institute for Access to Public Information."
The Salvadoran Legislative Assembly on May 1 voted to remove the country's top judges and a day later armed police showed up at the attorney general's headquarters to remove the country's top law enforcement officer.
El Salvador's assembly, controlled by President Nayib Bukele's New Ideas party, essentially granted him control over the country's Supreme Court with the move.
More:
https://thehill.com/latino/554829-usaid-redirects-el-salvador-funds-from-government-to-civil-society