« There are many other rich countries in the world, they should be all pitchers.
« We will do our part. We already have people there. We will have more people. We will help as much as we can (but) is not the easiest place to work … They have a military board that we do not like, » said Rubio.
On Tuesday, a former USAID official told the BBC that the agency’s shutter, led by Trump Advisory Advisory Business, meant that the White House could not send teams from the United States to save lives in the immediate consequence of the March 28 magnitude earthquake.
The number of confirmed deaths increased to 3,354 on April 4, according to the governing army of Myanmar. The number of injured was 4,508, while 220 were still missing.
Routing in these earthquakes, the United States can deploy up to 200 rescue workers and Sniffer dogs along with specialized teams, and are often the largest foreign response team and best equipment on the ground.
Last week, the State Department said that a north -American team of three advisers based in the region was sent to the disaster area.
Speaking to journalists at a NATO meeting in Brussels, Rubio blamed Myanmar’s military regime due to a lack of access, although the State Department said that earlier this week the country had made a formal assistance request.
The former USAID officials say that their work is considered non -political and that they have previously accessed countries considered politically hostile.
« This would have prevented our answer, no matter what it is, » Rubio said.
« That said, we are ready to continue to help in the humanitarian crisis. Other countries have to do so. China is a very rich country. India is a rich country. There are many other countries around the world and everyone should put it. »
China and India were the first to have equipment on the ground in Myanmar, according to former North -Americans humanitarian officials.
Rubio dismissed the accounts of humanitarian aid experts who said that the inability to deploy a great rescue team in the United States was due to the USAID cuts.
« These are people who make millions of millions of dollars in these NGOs (non -governmental organizations) worldwide and who are flooded with the money from taxpayers in the United States, and then we have to spend $ 10 million for $ 10 million. We don’t do it. OK? We have stopped. We’re not going to spend 10 million, $ 100 million for $ 10 million.
« We are not going to fund these global NGOs worldwide.
« We are ready to help and work with the right governments and NGOs, as there is assistance. We will be there, and we will be useful (but) there are many other rich countries, they should also put it and help … Let’s make our part, » added Rubio.
As the news of Myanmar’s earthquake emerged, the White House had tried to deploy a United States Detail Assistance Response Team (Dart), but it could not be done because Trump administration cuts had canceled logistics contracts and fired officials who oversaw these deployments, according to previous officials.
The USAID cuts had been led by the so-called Musk Government Efficiency Department (DOGE) after President Trump pointed out foreign assistance on the first day in office, calling it an « industry » that in many cases was antithetical with American values. «
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