It’s not difficult to conclude what the countries of Central America need most from this litany of their problems from the editors of the New York Times:
Plagued by corruption, violence and gang terror, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras need stronger and more honest judges and police officers, better schools and economic development. Elites control much of the land and avoid taxes, even at some of the lowest tax rates in Latin America. Bribery is rampant, and too often leaders lack the interest, competence or will to manage such problems.
Over the years, the United States has contributed to instability by supporting autocrats in civil wars and tolerating corruption that has bred criminality. In 2017, Washington recognized the results of the Honduran presidential election days after the Organization of American States called for new elections because of voting irregularities.
The United States has also invested in Latin America for decades to promote democracy and economic and social development. But the Trump administration has begun to place “more emphasis on preventing illegal immigration, combating transnational crime and generating export and investment opportunities for U.S. businesses,†according to a report last month by the Congressional Research Service, which does nonpartisan research for Congress.
They could use better government. So could we.
Left unsaid is that mass immigration promotes social unrest. That, after all, was one of the messages of the movie, Roma, which garnered several Academy Awards this year from the tone-deaf Academy. I also agree that we should provide more aid to the countries of Central America.
The question is what sort of aid would be most effective? Small-scale and local—not something at which the United States federal government excels. NGOs, particularly faith-based NGOs, are better at it than federal aid workers albeit not as well paid. Micro-loans. There are policies we could change. For example, we could reduce or eliminate our own agricultural subsidies and negotiate mutual reductions in trade barriers between the U. S. and the countries of Central America.
And we could stop bolstering their militaries. They are predominantly inwards-facing.
Anyone done a study as to why Costa Rica does much better then other countries in the region?
It’s a small, culturally and ethnically homogeous country that abolished its military 70 years ago, reducing the likelihood of successful overthrow of the government while increasing the money available for other spending.
It has lower unemployment and poverty but higher income inequality than its neighbors. Its birth rate is lower than its neighbors’ and lower than ours.
“faith-based NGOs”
Their answer is always to bring more strangers here to live.
I actually met an Iraqi Shea immigrant who had been here in Lincoln for 12 years. I asked him about how he came to be here and he said that after he spent five years in a refugee camp he was sponsored and settled by Catholic Social Services. If I didn’t mention it, he’s not Catholic.
I find it ironic and distressing that so many people point to historical US actions as the primary cause of problems south of the border, yet turn around and suggest the US military should intervene in Venezuela.
IMO Manifest Destiny is dead and Central and South America are on their own.