MIAMI (AP) — The US government employs a significant staff of 150 Venezuelans, spending more than $6.7 million a year maintaining the closed US embassy and other diplomatic property in Caraca. President Nicolas Maduro’s broken relationship with the government According to the new Watchdog Report, 2019.
The report, released Friday by the State Department’s Office of Inspectors, criticized U.S. officials for failing to conduct necessary cost-benefit analysis to determine whether taxpayers should continue to maintain the bill for the security, operation and maintenance of the 27-acre embassy compounds and five homes.
The Trump administration emphasized Government-wide cost reduction efforts and remodeling US foreign policy, including the launch of a Military strike on a boat Off the coast of Venezuela Defeated a drug bust at the sea It raised tensions with the hostile South American government.
The first Trump administration broke ties with Maduro And it was recognized Venezuela’s legal leader opponent in Failed attempt Force socialist leaders out of power. As part of the breakdown of the relationship, the State Department in March 2019 halted operations at the embassy in Caracas, evacuating all diplomats and feared the acquisition of compounds on the hill.
Remaining US Embassy jobs in Venezuela
It has always been known that Venezuelan contingents employed in the State Department had lagged behind to promote US interests, and the relationship between the two governments, although not externally hostile, did not halt completely. The scale of the mission and descriptions of their behind-the-scenes work have not been made public.
The inspector’s general report focused on compliance with US policy, but still offers rare glimpses of its sensitive work. Records of the Maduro government that imprisoned Americansopponents, and sometimes Normal Venezuelan He was accused of conspiring with “imperialists.”
The relationship has become even more sour American accumulation of warships Caribbean and a Get on a boat It says the Trump administration has been piloted. Trafficking drugs for gang members.
“We’ve seen a lot of effort and we’ve seen you in a lot of ways,” said Jeff Ramsey, a senior Venezuela analyst at Washington’s Atlantic Council. “If the relationship is restored, it’s important to have a team on the ground ready to move the relationship forward. But if you’re spending millions of dollars just to maintain some empty buildings where the edges are invisible, I think it’s fair to ask questions about the price tag.”
The State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Watchdog criticizes some of the Remote Venezuela missions
The 28-page report was based on this year’s inspection of the so-called Venezuelan Problems Unit. This leaves the small, previous training room known as “submarines” at the US embassy in nearby Columbia.
The office initially staffed 10 US diplomats as a halt to manage Maduro’s relationship with the government.
Since then, the number of employees working on remote missions has increased to 21, Watchdog said, adding that it cannot find evidence that the State Department conducted a review to justify the increase in staffing.
The unit was led by career diplomat Francisco Palmieri until January. He served as Colombia’s top American diplomat when the US lacked ambassadors in either country.
The dual role of leading one of the largest US foreign embassies in Colombia has had a negative impact on the Venezuelan issue forces, whilst running a very unusual remote mission, the report found. It cited the difficulty Palmieri faced reviewing all the delicate diplomatic cables and supporting the meetings. Secret story with Maduro officials.
Much of the unit’s work appears to be supported by 150 locally employed staff in Venezuela. The report says that at least some employees have discovered cases of fraudulent renovations to the embassy building, and it appears to be working at least from the embassy compound itself.
After lowering the US flag at the embassy, the US reached an agreement with Switzerland, serving as a “protective force” for diplomatic compounds. The total annual budget to support operations in Caracas, including payments for local staff, is $10.5 million.
The inspection ended in March and praised several initiatives by the Venezuelan Issues Force. This includes establishing a WhatsApp channel that promotes content reaching 144,000 individuals each month.
However, Watchdog has issued seven recommendations to reinforce the Department of State’s policies on issues ranging from diplomatic housing and staffing level management to the proper use of vehicle fleets and cloud-based software by Caracas staff.
The rules require that US embassies annually identify or maintain excess properties that are not fully utilized, economically meaningless. In Venezuela, the United States owns five facilities, including the ambassador’s residence, the vice-chairman’s chief and three apartments.
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Washington Associated Press Diplomat Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report.
