This war on drugs is a real joke, because the New York Stock Exchange gives special kid gloves treatment to the producers in Colombia, allowing them to invest freely in the New York Stock Exchange ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alberto H.F.Machado" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <mailto:Undisclosed-Recipient:;@Unix1.ism.com.br> Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2000 7:39 PM Subject: [NovusOrdo] En: Ecuador - Drugs > > Assunto: Ecuador - Drugs > > > > > Ecuador: Seeking the Benefits of a Plan Colombia > > > > Summary > > > > Ecuador is first in line to suffer the likely consequences of the > > U.S.-financed military offensive against drug traffickers in > > southern Colombia. The United States has offered Ecuador $20 > > million to manage the spillover, but President Gustavo Noboa wants > > much more. In fact, Noboa wants a Plan Colombia for Ecuador. If the > > U.S. government ignores demands for a much bigger commitment to > > Ecuador, the Noboa government may reconsider its tenuous support > > for Plan Colombia, including the use of Ecuador's Pacific Coast by > > U.S. anti-drug aircraft. > > > > Analysis > > > > The United States allotted Ecuador $20 million of the $1.3 billion > > U.S. aid package for Colombia's coming military offensive against > > drug traffickers, including $12 million in counter-narcotics aid > > and $8 million for development projects along the border with > > Colombia. However, President Gustavo Noboa wants much more. For > > starters, he wants between $250 million and $300 million for > > military material, including helicopters and river-patrol boats. > > Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Heinz Moeller outlined Noboa's proposal > > Oct. 19 in Washington, D.C. at meetings with officials of the State > > Department, National Security Council and Agency for International > > Development. > > > > Noboa also wants large-scale U.S. funding for economic development > > in northern Ecuador. In effect, he wants Washington to underwrite a > > Plan Colombia for Ecuador, including economic development > > assistance and military aid to keep the coca trade out of Ecuador. > > Washington will balk, but Noboa has a compelling argument: > > Ecuador's soils are suitable for cultivating coca and opium poppy, > > and its impoverished northern region is fertile ground for a drug- > > fueled insurgency. > > > > __________________________________________________________________ > > > > For more on Latin America, see: > > _____________________________________________________________ > > > > Ecuador is an important trans-shipment route for Colombian and > > Peruvian cocaine, but was bypassed in the 1990s when coca > > cultivation shifted to Colombia from Peru and Bolivia. However, the > > Noboa government fears the anti-drug military offensive in southern > > Colombia will push the drug trade and violence into northern > > Ecuador, where the inhabitants are largely members of nationalist > > indigenous groups who oppose the government's adoption of the U.S. > > dollar and privatization of state enterprises. > > > > Noboa was vice president last January when a military coup that > > removed President Jamil Mahuad triggered a mass national protest by > > Ecuador's Quechua Indians. The United States and other countries > > condemned the coup, but a large majority of Ecuador's citizens > > supported the armed forces. > > > > Noboa is Ecuador's seventh president in four years. His > > government's stability depends on the continued support of the > > military and indigenous groups united under the Confederation of > > Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE). To keep that support, > > however, Noboa has to produce results, starting with economic > > growth, infrastructure and better living standards for Ecuador's > > 12.4 million people, the majority of whom are poor Indians. > > > > High oil prices and adopting the U.S. dollar as Ecuador's national > > currency have stabilized the economy and defused political > > tensions. Inflation is under control at last, and oil will account > > for about 45 percent of Ecuador's export earnings this year, > > compared with about 20 percent in 1999. However, the crisis in > > Ecuador is far from over. Right now Noboa has some breathing room, > > but oil prices will fall eventually, and the risk of renewed > > political unrest is high. According to Augusto de la Torre, > > director of the World Bank's office in Ecuador, adopting the U.S. > > dollar has made Ecuador's economic system more corrupt, more > > politicized. > > > > ________________________________________________________ > > > > The military supports Noboa's endorsement of Plan Colombia and the > > use of Ecuador by U.S. anti-drug aircraft, but the country's > > indigenous leaders do not. If the drug trade and violence spill > > into northern Ecuador from Colombia, the spreading conflict could > > spark more mass protests by Ecuador's Indians. In January's > > protests, junior- and mid-level officers joined the Quechua > > protesters who toppled Mahuad. To reduce the risk of his ouster > > under similar circumstances, Noboa has to keep the military and > > indigenous groups happy. > > > > Meanwhile, the spillover has already started in northern Ecuador. > > In the past month, hundreds of Colombians fled into Ecuador to > > escape fierce clashes in Putumayo between FARC and AUC paramilitary > > forces. Last week, 10 foreign oil workers were kidnapped, and > > Ecuadorian officials say AUC forces are now operating in Ecuador's > > Sucumbios province. > > > > Noboa believes Ecuador is entitled to more aid from the U.S. > > government. After all, Noboa allowed the United States to fly anti- > > drug missions out of the Pacific coast base of Manta, and Ecuador > > is the country at greatest risk to spillover in the region. If > > Washington rejects Quito's requests for significantly increased > > aid, the Noboa government may join Brazil and Venezuela in opposing > > the United States in Colombia. > > > > Novus Ordo Seclorum > > -------------------------- eGroups Sponsor -------------------------~-~> <FONT COLOR="#000099">eLerts It's Easy. It's Fun. Best of All, it's Free! </FONT><A HREF="http://click.egroups.com/1/9699/16/_/475667/_/972478717/"><B>Click Here!</B></A> ---------------------------------------------------------------------_->
