The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) finds itself at the center of a mega-scandal following the revelation of irregular fund usage.

In a statement published on its website, the agency informed its employees that, effective last Sunday, all directly contracted personnel, except for those responsible for critical mission functions, central leadership, and specially designated programs, will be placed on administrative leave worldwide.

USAID also announced that it is beginning to implement a staff reduction that will affect approximately 1,600 officials serving in the United States. Following these instructions, agency personnel will have only 15 minutes to collect their personal belongings from the Ronald Reagan Building (RRB), the organization’s headquarters, this Thursday and Friday.

According to the agency, the decision results from a joint effort between USAID, the General Services Administration (GSA), the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Department of State (DoS). All personnel will undergo magnetometer and X-ray inspections upon entry and will be escorted to their workspaces to collect their personal items.

Employees were warned that if they do not appear during the assigned hours, their belongings will be stored in a federal warehouse and may be damaged or lost. Additionally, officials must bring their own boxes, bags, tape, and other containers to remove their personal items, as these will not be provided.

Only personal items can be retrieved; no government-owned documents, materials, or other items may be taken. This decision to reduce staff comes after thousands of USAID employees were laid off, leaving only about 300 employees in the agency.

The organization has been involved in economically supporting destabilizing plans against the governments of Cuba and Venezuela. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla indicated that USAID employed over $120 million to support various projects aimed at destabilizing the Caribbean island and condemned the constant pressure and economic siege by the United States against the Cuban population.

Similarly, Jorge Rodríguez, President of the National Assembly of Venezuela, denounced that USAID channeled over $1.6 billion to a sector of the opposition to finance violent plans against the government of Nicolás Maduro, under the guise of humanitarian aid during the pandemic.

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