Central America Migration: El Salvador braces for impact of cuts to US aid

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03:08

Shifting to the Americas, US President Donald Trump ordered cuts in aid to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras back in March. He felt they weren't doing enough to curb migration to the United States. CGTN's Franc Contreras reports on the impact those aid cuts could have on El Salvador.

The town of Usulutan is located in southeastern El Salvador.

It's a region that suffered terrible violence during this Central American nation's civil war in the 1980s. Criminal gangs continue to take lives and wreak havoc here.

Entrenched poverty spurs mass migration to the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered a halt to some 500 million dollars in U.S. financial assistance to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. Penalty, as he sees it, for not curbing the exodus.

A local music group - known as the Philharmonic of Usulutan provides young Salvadorans with one option to avoid gangs and immigration. It's funded by the United States Agency for International Development or USAID. 18-year-old trumpet player Juan Carlos Paniagua tells CGTN his mother recently left him and his sibling, and migrated to the United States.

JUAN CARLOS PANIAGUA MUSIC STUDENT "Before this, I knew very little about music. USAID gives us this help, which we really needed."

This youth recreation program was also made possible by US government funds.

FRANC CONTRERAS USULUTAN, EL SALVADOR "These high school students say things changed dramatically once this place was remodeled: they now have a safe place in the shade where they can practice football."

Usulutan's Mayor, Jose Mauricio Zelaya says without U.S. funding, the recreation center and music group will cease to exist.

JOSE MAURICIO ZELAYA MAYOR OF USULUTAN "This program funded by USAID helps us by minimizing violence because it is a distraction for young people, who might otherwise join gangs. It would be very damaging for us if the U.S. cuts this assistance."

US aid is also used to fund a Salvadoran prison reform program called Yo Cambio - or "I Change". It too is slated to disappear without new investment.

The warden says rival gang members, more likely to kill each other on the outside, learn to work together and learn from one another here and envision new possibilities of what could be a bright future in their nation. FC, CGTN, El Salvador.