Part 5/9:
Fallacies in Development Programs
The hearing also encompassed specific USAID-funded programs. For instance, various legislators pointed to initiatives that funded drag shows in Ecuador and sex change surgeries in Guatemala, arguing such allocations were entirely disconnected from USAID's goal of promoting stability and economic growth. Critics emphasized the contrast between the high costs of these cultural programs and the pressing needs of impoverished communities, such as the necessity of mosquito nets for malaria prevention in regions afflicted by medical crises.