Pubdate: Tue, 02 May 2000
Source: American Press (LA)
Contact:  P.O. Box 2893, Lake Charles, LA 70602
Fax: (337) 494-4070
Website: http://www.americanpress.com/

COLUMBIA, MEXICO DON'T LIVE UP TO PARTNERSHIP

We've had the annual ritual of the leader of the United States certifying 
this country's two biggest suppliers of illicit drugs as fully cooperating 
and reliable partners in the war against drugs.

We've also had the annual ritual of our own State Department documenting 
all of the abysmal failures of these two countries to even pretend to be 
cooperative and reliable partners to the United States in its fight against 
drugs.

Finally, we've had the blatant hypocrisy of an administration presenting 
high praise for its fully certified partners without even acknowledging 
that a government report exists that is totally contradictory.

Each year, the president certifies - or refuses to certify - a long 
list  of nations as either friend or foe of the U.S. fight against illicit 
drugs. Each year, Mexico and Colombia are fully certified - the highest 
rating available - as nations that are cooperating partners with the United 
States in every aspect of the fight against drugs.

Meanwhile, here's what our own State Department says about these two 
nations in its annual report on the illicit drug trade worldwide:

Mexico:

- - The country faces a broad array of drug-related problems, from production 
and transshipment of illicit drugs to growing consumption.

- - While the government's counter-narcotics effort made some progress in 
1999 against the production, traffic and abuse of illicit drugs, it still 
faces daunting challenges.

- - The cartels that control production and shipments of drugs, and related 
money-laundering and organized crime activities, are powerful and 
well-organized and have made a concerted effort to corrupt and intimidate 
public officials responsible for combatting them.

Colombia:

- - Colombia produces and distributes more cocaine than any other country in 
the world and is also an important supplier of heroin.

- - Colombia's coca production increased by 20 percent last year.

- - Colombia also produces an estimated 6 tons of heroin annually, virtually 
all of which is destined for the U.S. market.

Colombian and Mexican drug lords are also fully cooperative partners in 
another area - moving cocaine from Colombia through Mexico into the United 
States.

American officials say about 90 percent of the cocaine that enters the 
United States comes via the Colombia-Mexico pipeline.

This annual ritual of certifying as partners in the war against drugs two 
countries that, together, account for most of the illicit drugs entering 
this country, should be flatly rejected by an indignant Congress.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jo-D