Morales Says Bolivia Seized Record 19 Tons of Cocaine

[Judi Lynn]

Morales Says Bolivia Seized Record 19 Tons of Cocaine
By Jonathan J. Levin

Sept. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Bolivian President Evo Morales said his country’s anti-drug forces seized 19 tons of cocaine this year through the first two weeks in September, beating a previous record of 11 tons for all of 2005.

Morales, who spoke to reporters today at the presidential palace in La Paz, said the confiscated drugs include cocaine base and cocaine hydrochloride, the powder form.

“The most important thing is that we’ve discovered sophisticated laboratories without the U.S. DEA,” Morales said, referring to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Morales expelled the U.S. anti-drug organization last November for allegedly meddling in the Andean nation’s internal affairs. Earlier that year, he declared U.S. ambassador Philip Goldberg “persona non grata,” and the two countries remain without high-level diplomatic relations.

The Bolivian government eradicated 5,000 hectares (12,355 acres) of coca, cocaine’s raw ingredient, in the first nine months of the year, said Morales, a former coca grower.

More:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=aZi...

[EFerrari]

1. Bookmarking. Thanks, Judi Lynn.

Who could ever imagine the DEA was impeding the War on Drugs . . . .

[rabs]

2. And yet ... Obama goes the other way ...

WASHINGTON — Myanmar, Bolivia and Venezuela "failed" in their efforts to meet international anti-drug measures, which could result in sanctions, US State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said Wednesday.

The announcement is Washington's annual certification of countries that are actively participating in the effort to crack down on the illegal narcotics trade.

Of 20 countries identified as major drug-transit or drug-producing countries, President Barack Obama "has determined that ... Bolivia, Burma, and Venezuela, 'failed demonstrably' during the last 12 months to adhere to international counternarcotic agreements and take counternarcotic measures set forth in US law," said Kelly in a statement.

The three countries were also decertified in 2008, during the presidency of George W. Bush.

Obama however issued a "national interest waiver" for Bolivia and Venezuela, so Washington can "continue to support specific programs to benefit the Bolivian and Venezuelan people," Kelly said.

US funds "will continue to support" civil society and small community development programs in Venezuela, while the waiver will allow for "continued support for agricultural development, exchange programs, small enterprise development, and police training programs" in Bolivia.


http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i8lT...


(Morales today responded saying the U.S. should de-certify itself for being the world's largest consumer of illegal drugs.)

(This "national interest waiver" is strange. Don't think Hugo needs support to "development programs" in Venezuela and that Evo will accept "agricultural development (spraying?), exchange programs (to train Santa Cruz sessionists?) and "police training.)

[EFerrari]

3. LOL! He's right!