Drug czar John Walters unleashed the latest Bush administration broadside in the ongoing war of words with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, accusing his government of "collusion" with drug traffickers pushing cocaine and other narcotics north to the U.S.

"Where are the big seizures, where are the big arrests of individuals who are at least logistical coordinators? When it's being launched from controlled airports and seaports, where are the arrests of corrupt officials? At some point here, this is tantamount to collusion," Walters said in describing Venezuela's antidrug efforts.

The Los Angeles Times reported Jan. 21 that Walters' harsh remarks were a departure for the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which previously had not been involved in airing high-visibility public criticisms of Venezuela's antidrug efforts. Venezuela has long been a transshipment point for the drug trade, but Chavez provoked U.S. ire when he suspended cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in 2005.

"On the destination side of this flow, there has been action, but on the departure side of the flow, Chavez has not responded, not even in the minimal way," Walters said. 

The Venezuela Information Office, based in Washington, D.C., said that Walters' accusations ignored the country's long history of cooperation with international drug-control agencies.