After the Trump administration’s significant changes to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), an intriguing trend has surfaced in Latin America. Long-standing left-wing governments, which once held sway in several nations, have found it increasingly difficult to secure victories in national elections.
In their place, center-right and conservative candidates have claimed impressive wins. Countries like Bolivia, Chile, Honduras, Costa Rica, Peru, and Colombia experienced shifts following President Trump’s directives to cut back on most USAID programs. While political swings aren’t unusual, the rapid and uniform nature of these changes, which coincided with Trump’s cancellation of USAID’s Democracy and Governance Funding Authority, raises some unsettling questions.
On his first day of a second term, Trump signed a presidential order to halt most foreign aid operations. Ultimately, USAID was absorbed under the State Department’s oversight, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio announcing the cancellation of around 83 percent of its programs—a staggering figure that equates to tens of billions of dollars.
“After a thorough review, we are officially discontinuing 83% of USAID’s programs. The 5,200 contracts that will be cut have cost vast sums without serving, and at times harming, America’s core national interests,” Rubio stated.
A significant share of these canceled contracts involved the Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG) portfolio, which had funded various initiatives like electoral support, legislative strengthening, and anti-corruption measures. This funding had often aligned with left-leaning social issues in partner countries.
Tyler O’Neal from the Daily Signal testified in February 2025 that USAID had a worrisome connection with networks associated with leftist agendas. He expressed concerns, noting that USAID’s resources had supported a Marxist ideology surrounding diversity and inclusion, remarking that such initiatives adversely affected America’s international reputation.
In 2024, USAID allocated nearly $2 million to Guatemala’s Lambda Association to enhance gender-affirming healthcare. The agency also sponsored various LGBTQ projects across countries like Colombia and Peru. Despite having laid a foundation for human rights initiatives, the DRG’s Electoral Integrity Unit collaborated with NGOs promoting far-left ideologies, particularly in more conservative societies.
Historically, this funding pattern had coincided with the rise of leftist governments in Latin America. However, when funding was curtailed, the left’s dominance dwindled, reflected by their zero accomplishments in notable elections following the USAID cuts.
In Bolivia, center-right Senator Rodrigo Paz Pereira ended nearly two decades of power for the socialist party MAS in the 2025 elections. Likewise, in Chile, the right-wing coalition, led by José Antonio Kast, prevailed. Voters in Honduras opted for conservative Nasri Asufura, while Costa Rica elected right-wing populist Laura Fernández Delgado. Peru saw Keiko Fujimori narrowly win, and Colombia’s runoff yielded a far-right victory for lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella.
The political environment had shifted, evidenced by Javier Milei’s notable presidential win in Argentina back in 2023. Still, the post-Trump realignment at USAID stands out due to the absence of left-wing breakthroughs post-restructure. Change tends to be gradual; while correlation differs from causation, the swift rise of right-wing successes suggests a connection to the withdrawal of leftist support through USAID funding.
Conservative nations don’t typically elect far-left candidates independently, akin to shifts observed in the U.S., where cultural transitions have occurred over generations rather than organically. Key institutions like education and media heavily influenced this shift towards acceptance of more progressive ideals. Thankfully, it seems that this pendulum is beginning to swing back, as public tolerance for previously accepted practices appears to be waning.
The structural transformation initiated by the Trump administration’s actions at USAID represents a significant shift in Latin America’s political landscape. As in the U.S., voters have rediscovered their voices against left-wing governance, free from the burden of U.S. funding, paving the way for right-wing and populist administrations to make necessary repairs to past governance impacts.
