Foreign Minister: Venezuela Rejects U.S. Blackmail in Fight Against Drugs

[Say_What]

<clips>

Caracas, February 7, 2007 (venezuelanalysis.com)— Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro stated yesterday that Venezuela will not give in to U.S. “blackmail” in the fight against drug trafficking. Monday the U.S. State Department had announced that it was cutting Venezuela’s anti-drug trafficking aid of $2.2 million due to Venezuela’s supposed lack of cooperation in the anti-drug effort.

Responding to the decision, Maduro said, “As a sovereign country does not accept blackmail from any other nation. can take their resources and do whatever they think they need to do." Maduro added, "We will continue fighting against drug-trafficking."

Last Sunday Maduro had already warned that a new international campaign to discredit Venezuela, to make it seem like it is under a dictatorship, was underway that is being directed by the U.S. government. However, according to Maduro, “the reality of Venezuela is a different one, is one that bumps up against the imperialist and dominator interests of the current U.S. administration.” “It is not just Venezuela but the entire region that is giving an example of how to construct new social, economic, and political models,” said Maduro.

Venezuelan drug interdiction efforts have been increasing fairly steadily over the past few years, despite constant complaints from the Bush administration that Venezuela is not doing enough. In August 2005 Venezuela suspended its cooperation with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), saying that it was violating Venezuelan sovereignty by engaging in unauthorized activities.

Subsequently, in September 2005, the Bush administration withdrew Venezuela’s Drug Control Certification. However, despite the official break-off in relations between the DEA and their Venezuelan counterparts, the two countries continued cooperating in drug control efforts. By the summer of 2006 it looked as if the two countries would sign a new cooperation agreement on drug control, but the negotiations stalled in the end and nothing has been signed.

http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=2212


Venezuela's Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro.

[Skink]

1. We are the economic hitmen here.

we are even starting to ponder the price of oil due to Chavez and Putin enriching their countries.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Interesting to hear Ambassador Montes said that South Africa buys products made

with the coca plant from Peru. Have never heard this before, but it's not surprising. We don't know so MUCH about other countries. All we get is the propaganda!

Really find Venezuela's Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro is an energetic proponent of the new Venezuelan government. I'm sure he'll be around a long time, unless someone murders him, too, like the official who was conducting investigations of the coup participants, Danilo Anderson, in a cowardly car bombing.

[Vidar]

3. Hopefully, they're are expelling several CIA operatives along with the 2.2 million.