announced Wednesday, adding that bilateral relations are on the verge of normalization.
USAID Assistance
Foreign Affairs Minister Schialer expressed confidence that the cooperation assistance Peru receives from the United States through USAID, which is linked to the combat against drugs, will not be reduced.
The Cabinet member explained that Peru received between US$120 million and US$124 million from USAID for the fight against drug trafficking, Amazon-related and environmental issues, as well as the advancement of women.
He estimates that the last two areas would be the ones facing cuts.
"I believe the fight against drug trafficking will remain untouched. It amounts to US$80 million per year, but that is not solely for interdiction efforts. It also funds crop substitution programs and non-police initiatives, such as the scanner at the Port of Chancay, which was financed with USAID funds," he told RPP.
Similarly, the diplomat stated that a priority issue on Peru's hemispheric foreign policy agenda is for Tren de Aragua and Comando Vermelho —organizations that employ cruelty and a sophisticated system to generate crime and terror among the population— to be designated as international terrorist organizations.
"It must be acknowledged that they pose a serious threat to the democratic stability of countries. The Organization of American States (OAS) has a body that addresses the issue of terrorist organizations, and we want it to play an active role," he indicated.