USAID AND THE IMMIGRANT

CARAVANS
Lic. Hugo W. Merida
Los Angeles, California, USA
hugomerida@hugomerida.org
Cell. 213-500-5657
With the serious increase of thousands of migrants to the U.S. from the countries of the Central
America northern triangle, The United States Agency for International Development (USAID),
continues its mission of promoting democracy for that region. Presently, that focuses on the
economic development of the poorest and most unprotected communities. At present, the
results in Central America are evident.

From 2004 to date, the Agency has been trying to become from duck to cat, i.e., an entity that
promotes democracy to an entity that promotes economic development in the areas most
impoverished on the planet. And his failure is most clearly reflected in the countries of said
Triangle, where the flight of their nationals will increase from hundreds to thousands, and they
can do nothing, despite the fact that the regional headquarters for all USAID in Latin America is
located in El Salvador for many years.

Its failure is sadly reflected in Guatemala, which is the example of the region. In this country,
USAID hires multinationals (The Palladium Group), local consortiums (FUNDESA, ANACAFE, Etc.)
and is associated with local government agencies (Ministry of economy, etc.).

The mentioned Local groups are widely recognized by its corporate elitism,
monopolistic excessive control and its poor opening to small farmers in the areas
most marginalized in Guatemala, especially the areas of production.

Additionally, to carry out its mission of development abroad in rural and indigenous areas,
USAID hired multinational companies, which are unaware and in need to learn the reality, the
customs and of locals ways of living.

This is not new, USAID business failure is clearly reflected in the recent passed Guatemalan
Business Encounter ( Encuentro del Migrante), a business event has been organized for more
than 15 years by Guatemala Ministries which seeks to partner small Guatemalan businesses in
Guatemala and those in the United States. This activity in the past was partially financed by
the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and with minor problems, they were always very
responsible to the activities and the participants. This year, USAID - Guatemala sponsored with
the airfare to entrepreneur that would travel from the United States to participate in the event.

The high requirements to participate and the intransigence of the USAID workers created
discomfort to participants and organizers. Many of the entrepreneurs in the United States, did
not traveled or ended up paying his own airfare due to the restrictions, lack of understanding,
knowledge, or just the pride of USAID - Guatemala. Although. As a U.S. Business Association
President, I attended as a
businessman, I ended up paying my
plane ticket, due to little support for
making changes of dates to the ticket
to be paid by USAID.

On the other hand, at a meeting with

coffee growers, was important to hear
allegations and complaints that
exposed many small coffee farmers to
little or no support of ANACAFE, the
coffee industry governing entity in Guatemala. However, USAID Guatemala prides itself of the
"good job" that such group, carried out on behalf of said farmers.

It is interesting to mention, that for a program carried out by ANACAFE, oriented to support
small coffee farmers in the Northern of Guatemala, with resources provided by USAID ($20
million), a local group of auditors issued an audit report without qualification. Is like asking to
my barber employee to make an opinion on of how I look with my new haircut.

With the enormous amount of undocumented immigrants coming to the United States border,
on several occasions already President Trump threatened to use the US army, to suspend the
budget assigned to the northern triangle countries, to cancel visas to the Triangle corrupt
officials and entrepreneurs, however, the sole concern of the economic monopolies controlling
these countries are the loss of revenue, especially those who receive foreign investment since
memorial times.

Many explanations, arguments and justifications will be given, the reality is that the thousands
of Central Americans that USAID supposed to help, continue and will continue to leave their
countries in search for survival, under the inability of AID and other US agencies and its officers
who comfortably relaxing at the Agency "bunker" in Zona 15 of Guatemala or in Santa Elena of
San Salvador. They should feel shame to see those thousands coming out in caravans in search
of the already non-existent American dream or at least to seek programs that work, as the
case in Peru where the Coca expansion is been reduced with the agriculture programs such as
DEVIDA of USAID-Peru.

Soon, we, the citizen American Latinos are to march to Washington DC to request Congress to
make structural changes in the way of spending our resources abroad, otherwise, USAID will
continue to work with governments and businesses that very day continue to enrich
themselves, while their people sink into corruption, hunger, unemployment and misery.

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