The old American program totaled about $24 million a year in both overt and covert aid.

Congress approves $19 million in covert military aid for the rebels.

Congress blocked the plan for years but finally gave way to right-wing pressure and allowed covert aid.

More than four years ago, it reported that its covert aid to the insurgents had stopped.

It was meant to provide an alternative to covert financial aid for political groups abroad.

At the meeting, the deputies endorsed covert aid to Uzbekistan.

But covert aid to Guatemala's military continued to flow under the liaison program.

They discussed his covert aid to the Contras "since the early eighties."

According to Congressional sources, the Administration has provided the group with $15 million in covert military aid over the last two years.

The covert American aid is said to amount to several hundred million dollars a year.