Random thoughts on cutting US aid to Honduras

Here are a few initial thoughts on cuts to US aid to Honduras that President Trump is making – or wants to make. I make no claim to have all the facts nor to know what is really going on. I have more questions than answers, but wanted to share some thoughts and some news reports that I think should be part of any discussion.

According to some news reports, the US president is planning to cut US aid to Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, or at least 500 million dollars worth. The presumed reason is that they are permitting people to go to the US in the caravans.

I think he’s got it all wrong.

First of all, the caravans are, as I see it, just making visible the migration that is already happening. About a month ago, I heard a Honduran analyst say that about 300 persons were leaving Honduras each day, even before the October caravan. If this happens every day, that means more than 9000 are fleeing each month.

Secondly, the caravans are reflections of a reality full of injustice and oppression in Honduras and other countries. They also are reflections of continuing violence, most often connected with gangs and drug-trafficking in the major cities and in certain parts of the country. A failed justice system, together with massive corruption, does not respond to this violence nor to the crimes and injustices experienced by many in other parts of the country. To this, I must add the current climatic conditions here and the low coffee paid to coffee farmers as other factors contributing to migration. (This deserves a future blog post.)

The cut off to humanitarian programs may increase the unemployment rate of youth and professionals in Honduras and will affect those who are positively helped by some programs. Some coffee farmers I know have received aid from US AID and there have been several education projects that received major aid. Cutting aid to these programs may just feed the factors that propel people to migrate to the US.

Thirdly, my real question is: Will military support and so-called “security” aid be cut?

Though there are some reports to the contrary, I believe military and “security” aid will remain mostly untouched.

What does this aid do?

In my prejudiced opinion, this type of aid to a large part continues to support the political and economic elites who keep Honduras impoverished. In addition, it allows the increasing militarization of the country.

I really wonder if it does affect the drug trade, in light of the political ties to drug trafficking.

In the past month a US official praised the Honduran president for his drug prevention efforts. Somebody perhaps forgot to tell the US representative that the brother of the president is in jail in the US for drug trafficking. Also, someone perhaps didn’t inform them that a former mayor, a member of the president’s National Party, is being sought for drug trafficking. While mayor, he had a helicopter port built on top of the city hall!

There has been some decrease in the amount of violence, though it is debated if the decrease is as great as the government claims. But, at what cost?

The Honduran president recently announced that he was increasing the number of military in the country. I don’t know for sure, but I guess that much of that funding comes from the US for “security.” Does this type of militarization help the people or does it increase the power to control and repress? (More on this later.)

And so, how do I respond to the proposed cuts? I think this will not be a good policy. If they do not include cuts to the military, I think they will be counterproductive.

But I wonder what might happen if there were a threat to US military and “security” aid? Would this change the policies of the current government.

While trying to find out more on the US president’s Friday night missive on cutting aid, I came across a counterproposal made the day before the President’s announcement, by four US representatives. According to a press release of congressman Hank Johnson:

Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04), alongside Reps. Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), José Serrano (NY-15), and Marcia Kaptur (OH-09), with the support of 43 Members of Congress, today reintroduced H.R. 1945, the Berta Cáceres Human Rights in Honduras Act.”

As Rep Johnson said: “This legislation will suspend U.S. military funding to Honduran security forces and discourage multilateral development bank lending until the Honduran government investigates and prosecutes those in the military and police who have violated human rights.”

Now that might make a difference.

More US aid for Honduras - for what?

AP reports today:

The Obama administration has certified that Honduras has taken "effective steps" to improve human rights conditions and reduce corruption despite ongoing concerns of abuse. The move frees up millions of dollars in U.S. aid to the Central American country. 

$55 million to be exact.

But for what?

The country is militarized. Military police and the military staff highway checkpoints. What they really do there I do not know. We can expect more militarization.

Yes, the police and military are supposed to respect civilians. A young soldier on leave told me that they should be held accountable if they do something wrong or ask for bribes. But police have beaten demonstrators in northern Honduras protesting the establishment of toll booths on highways.

Crime continues but the government says that there are people being imprisoned for these crimes. Yet I know of at least three cases where people who did not commit crimes are in jail and have not come for trial for several months.

Human rights workers experience threats. In March, prominent environmental indigenous activist Berta Cáceres was murdered. Another member of the organization she led was killed a few months later. Recently two leaders of that organization escaped assassination attempts.

Journalists experience pressure, death threats, and assassinations.

Corruption continues, though under new guises. I have heard reports of some medical workers being compelled to work for the ruling party in order to get and keep a job.

Investigation of crimes is minimal. Even worse is that people fear to report crimes because impunity is so rampant that criminals with connections get released and can take revenge against their accusers.

And so $55 million US dollars will arrive.

I weep.

Coals to Newcastle: corn to Honduras

Will someone explain this to me? Somehow this doesn’t seem right.

Today, the US Department of Agriculture issued a press release on an agreement between US and Honduran agricultural officials:

Through the Food for Progress Program, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service will provide the government of Honduras with 30,000 metric tons of U.S. yellow corn and 18,000 tons of U.S. soybean meal, valued at approximately $17 million. The Honduran government will use proceeds from the sale of the commodities to implement projects aimed at improving agricultural productivity, enhancing farmers' access to information and market skills, building government capacity, and strengthening local, regional and international trade in agricultural products.

Hondurans eat white corn. I don’t know anyone who eats soybean meal, though it may be used in some commercial products.

corn drying in the sun

The corn and the soybean meal will be sold – but to whom?

Why doesn’t the US just sell the food and give the money to Honduras?

According to one source, Honduras produces 430,000 metric tons a year. Another source noted how corn production in Honduras dropped about 10% last year.

But how will this yellow corn sale really help hungry Hondurans? 

Will it help them produce sustainably, so that their families can eat well?

I have seen how the Food for Education Program works and it does seem to enhance the lives of school in rural schools.

But will this aid promote long-term sustainability or will it tie farmers into the ups and downs of export agriculture and contribute to the cost of basic foodstuffs that may have to be bought rather than produced by the small farmers?

And which farmers will profit - those in the US who sold the corn, those in Honduras who may see their corn prices crop, the big farmers who take advantage of the US aid? 

 The press release claims that

The projects supported by this new agreement will focus on the creation of jobs and income opportunities for some of Honduras' most vulnerable citizens. The beneficiaries will include small farmers, as well as small businesses and producer organizations, particularly those that support rural women and youth.

Will someone please explain to me how this will help the people here?

I have my doubts.

I also wonder if we can trust the Honduran government to really utilize the money well for the benefit of the really poor or if the money and programs will be used to further the political interests of the people and political parties in power.

Will someone explain this to me?