Bolivia President Bans U.S. Drug Agents

Bolivia President Bans U.S. Drug Agents
November 4, 2008

News Summary

U.S. anti-drug agents are no longer allowed to pursue cocaine traffickers in Bolivia after the country's president, Evo Morales, banned them from the country, Reuters reported Nov. 1.

"There were DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) agents that were doing political espionage ... financing criminal groups so that they could act against authorities, even the president," Morales said, charging U.S. agents with "conspiracy" for keeping ties with antigovernment organizations that staged violent protests in September. The president had previously banned DEA flights over the country.

Last month, the U.S. listed Bolivia as a state that "failed demonstrably" to meet U.S. counter-narcotics obligations, and officials have suspended certain trade benefits for the country because of "poor cooperation in fighting drug trafficking."

The Andean country is the world's third-largest cocaine producer, and since 2006, has operated under a "zero cocaine but not zero coca," policy under Morales, who built his political career advocating for coca growers. The main ingredient in cocaine, the coca leaf is also chewed by Bolivian Indians for its medicinal and nutritional properties.

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:

Posted by SisterCrystal on 05 Nov 08 10:12 AM EST

The US seems to forget that every country has the right to determine their own health care and criminal justice policies. I wonder how the US would react if another country demanded the right to pursue American citizens on American soil? Or to violate US airspace at will? The US should fight their own battles in their own country, and not try to strong arm other countries in to doing it for them.

Posted by Sensible Citizen on 05 Nov 08 11:44 AM EST

Congrats to the Bolivians! Stand up to the imperial US. Bush and Co care nothing about other countries independence. We must end drug prohibiton and start treating drugs as a health condition. Too often we force people into treatment who don't need it or are not ready. This process squanders our precious treatment dollars while being terribly ineffecient and uneffective. Stop the drug war today. Let's help people, not destroy them.

Posted by Jim Joyner on 05 Nov 08 11:49 AM EST

America's drug problem is here at home not in Bolivia. Address addiction here and it won't matter what coca growers are doing there. We can't keep speaking out of both side of our mouth. Kids from day one are programmed to use tobacco and alcohol and to reach for a pill when life doesn't go their way. Stop the hypocrisy. Bolivia and Afghanistan aren't the reasons for the drug problem in America, just the excuses.

Posted by Mike Levy on 05 Nov 08 02:26 PM EST

I sincerely hope that in response to the ban of our anti-drug agents the U.S suspend aid and trade with Bolivia. It seems that we might have gotten close to uncovering probable government involvement or at least a blind eye policy regarding drug manufacturing and trafficking eminating from Bolivia and that prompted the ban. Criminal drug syndicate influence is not an uncommon disorder among Central and South American regimes. Those governments derive political and financial support from that lucrative but criminal sector of their economies. The only likely 'conspiracy' is that of the Bolivian junta. Hopefully with the advent of the Obama government, we will do what he said and that was not fund those nations who gladly take our money but remain unfriendly or uncooperative. That 'Change' is what is needed and will be good.

Posted by chrisa@stonehill on 06 Nov 08 09:54 PM EST

Interdiction is the least effective form of drug prevention. Would it be great if we could keep other countries from growing drugs and exporting it through various means to the U.S? Sure. But it isn't realistic. Just look at the different cultural conceptions of the coca leaf. The United States sees it purely from a drug standpoint. In Bolivia, it has historically been of potent medicinal value. While the U.S. continues its policy of interdiction, however, there should be repercussions for countries who do not cooperate (i.e. trade embargoes). The best way to spend our funds for the "War on Drugs" is through treatment of addicts. Ideally, we could stop the flow of drugs into the country. Instead, we are giving money to countries who dislike us and aren't using the funds appropriately. We may as well spend the money rehabilitating addicts. People will always experiment with drugs. We need to help prevent people from becoming addicts, and when they do, we need to help them recover. Interdiction is a relative waste of time in my opinion.

Posted by JRW on 10 Nov 08 10:45 AM EST

mike-You suggest that the U.S suspend aid and trade with Bolivia. The only people that will hurt will be ordinary citizens. The military brass and other national leaders will find ways to take care of themselves and pass the misery down the line. I suggest we 1) focus in the US on prevention and treatment; 2) buy the Bolivian coca crop and burn it.

Posted by joe panama on 18 Jan 09 12:04 PM EST

What cracks me up is, the US is fighting a war on terrorism, when the US is the terrorist, the US government is completely insane. The US government is the cause of all the grief this "war on drugs" has inflicted on the world. The reason kids have such ready access to drugs is, the US government. The US government causes more harm and death, than it prevents. The US government has no common sense. The US government is destroying the world. They must be stopped.

Posted by Circus on 04 Feb 09 08:58 PM EST

Anyone who doubts that the U.S. government can be utterly stupid on drug policy should read, "Dark Alliance," by Gary Webb. What's that about history repeating itself?

Posted by garypoyssick on 23 Mar 09 09:51 AM EDT

As a libertarian facing a world increasingly based on federal control over every aspect of our lives, the entire drug war -- not the most successful venture we've ever attempted in the US -- is stupid. gary in Saint Petersburg USA

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