The Hidden Heist: How USAID Diverts US Taxpayer Dollars to Engineer Global Regime Changes

In a revealing post above, cybersecurity expert Mike Benz highlighted a startling surge in US funding to Brazil coinciding with Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency. From 2019 to 2023, direct US government foreign assistance, primarily through the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), more than doubled to Brazilian civil society organizations—from $31,959,883 in 2018 to $68,875,827 in 2019 alone. This spike, peaking at $87,374,391 midway through Bolsonaro’s term, wasn’t about humanitarian aid or economic development in a stable middle-income country like Brazil. Instead, it fueled projects aimed at undermining a democratically elected leader who aligned closely with American conservative values and pro-US policies.

This pattern exemplifies a broader, insidious trend: USAID, ostensibly a tool for global development, has become a vehicle for siphoning billions in US taxpayer dollars to orchestrate regime changes that often install governments hostile to traditional American interests—governments that prioritize globalist agendas, censorship, and alliances with adversaries like China over sovereignty and free-market principles. USAID was established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy as a cornerstone of US soft power during the Cold War, intended to counter Soviet influence through economic aid, disaster relief, and development programs. On paper, it’s a noble endeavor: helping nations build infrastructure, fight poverty, and promote democracy. But over decades, critics from both sides of the political spectrum have exposed how USAID has morphed into a covert arm of US foreign policy, often intertwined with intelligence operations like those of the CIA.

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Funds earmarked for “civil society strengthening” or “democracy promotion” frequently end up supporting opposition groups, media outlets, and NGOs that align with Washington’s elite consensus—often at the expense of nationalist leaders who resist globalist pressures. This isn’t aid; it’s interference, paid for by hardworking Americans whose taxes are diverted to subvert elections and install regimes that erode US influence abroad. Take Brazil as a prime case study. Bolsonaro, often dubbed the “Trump of the Tropics,” won a landslide victory in 2018 on a platform of anti-corruption, economic liberalization, and strong ties with the US.

His administration sought closer alliances with Washington, including trade deals and security cooperation. Yet, almost immediately, USAID ramped up funding to Brazilian civil society—groups focused on “governance,” “human rights,” and “environmental protection.” According to data from ForeignAssistance.gov, total US aid to Brazil jumped from around $46 million annually pre-2018 to over $87 million by 2021, with much directed toward NGOs and media entities critical of Bolsonaro. This wasn’t coincidental. As Benz detailed in interviews and posts, USAID financed censorship initiatives, legal advocacy, and disinformation campaigns to delegitimize Bolsonaro. For instance, millions flowed to organizations like the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) and fact-checking outfits such as Agência Lupa, which promoted narratives labeling Bolsonaro supporters as spreaders of “fake news.”

These efforts culminated in Brazil’s Superior Electoral Court (TSE) cracking down on pro-Bolsonaro content on platforms like X, WhatsApp, and Telegram, effectively silencing opposition voices ahead of the 2022 election. The result? Bolsonaro’s narrow defeat to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a leftist former president with a history of corruption convictions and ties to China and other anti-Western powers. Lula’s administration has since pivoted Brazil toward BRICS alliances, deepening economic dependencies on Beijing while cracking down on domestic dissent—actions that undermine US strategic interests in Latin America. Critics argue this was no accident: USAID’s “democracy” funding built a “censorship octopus” that isolated Bolsonaro, prevented cross-pollination of ideas with US conservatives, and paved the way for a government more amenable to globalist policies like climate agendas and digital control.

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Brazilian Congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro has called for investigations into these funds, labeling them a threat to national sovereignty. In essence, US taxpayers unwittingly bankrolled the ouster of a pro-American leader, installing one who aligns more with adversaries. This Brazilian playbook isn’t unique; it’s replicated worldwide, often resulting in anti-American regimes that prioritize elite global interests over national autonomy. In Venezuela, USAID has poured hundreds of millions into opposition groups challenging Nicolás Maduro’s socialist dictatorship since the early 2000s. While Maduro is undeniably anti-US—aligning with Russia, Iran, and China—the aid has fueled endless instability, empowering factions that, when in power briefly, pursued policies like privatization that benefited multinational corporations but alienated the populace, leading to backlash and Maduro’s entrenchment. Critics from the left, like those at Venezuelanalysis, accuse USAID of “silent subversion,” funding NGOs to destabilize the government without addressing root causes like sanctions, ultimately prolonging a regime hostile to Washington.

Bolivia offers another glaring example. Under Evo Morales, a leftist indigenous leader who nationalized resources and resisted US influence, USAID was expelled in 2013 for allegedly supporting opposition groups and plotting coups. Funds went to civil society organizations promoting “democracy,” but in practice, they backed right-wing separatists in resource-rich regions, exacerbating divisions. The 2019 ouster of Morales—amid protests fueled by US-backed entities—led to a brief interim government under Jeanine Áñez, which cozied up to Washington but was marred by human rights abuses. Morales’ Movement for Socialism (MAS) party returned in 2020, more anti-American than ever, forging stronger ties with China and Russia. USAID’s interference didn’t install a stable pro-US ally; it boomeranged, entrenching anti-imperialist sentiment.

Nicaragua mirrors this pattern. USAID has funded opposition to Daniel Ortega’s authoritarian rule, channeling money to NGOs and media critical of his regime. Ortega, a longtime US foe allied with Venezuela and Russia, has responded by cracking down harder, passing laws restricting foreign funding and labeling NGOs as “foreign agents.” The result? A more isolated, repressive government that views the US as an existential threat, pushing Nicaragua deeper into anti-American orbits. As one report notes, USAID’s efforts have “contributed to the deliberate breakdown in the rule of law,” fostering regimes that double down on hostility. These interventions rob US taxpayers in multiple ways. First, the sheer scale: USAID’s annual budget exceeds $40 billion, with a significant portion—up to 60% in some years—going to NGOs and contractors rather than direct aid. Much of this is opaque, funneled through intermediaries like the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which Benz calls a “censorship operational network.”

Second, the outcomes often contradict US interests: instead of stable allies, we get unstable, anti-American governments that align with competitors. Heritage Foundation analyses describe USAID as “woke” and self-destructive, promoting agendas like gender ideology abroad while ignoring economic growth. Third, domestically, this diverts resources from pressing needs—veterans’ care, infrastructure— to foreign meddling that boomerangs as migration crises or lost trade opportunities. The irony is profound: Americans fund a system that undermines leaders like Bolsonaro, who championed US-style freedoms, only to empower figures like Lula, who court China and suppress dissent. This isn’t development; it’s a globalist heist, using aid as cover for regime engineering. As Benz warns, without USAID’s meddling, Brazil—and perhaps the world—would enjoy freer societies. It’s time for accountability: defund the interference, audit the flows, and redirect taxes to true American priorities. Otherwise, the robbery continues, one “aid” package at a time.