This Statement was sent by: Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Venezuelan
Embassy to the U.S. / Ministry of Communication and Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
STATEMENT OF THE BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA: WHITE HOUSE POLITICIZES
THE WAR ON DRUGS
With respect to the conclusions of the Bush administration’s “Annual Report
on the Major Drug Transit or Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries for
Fiscal Year 2007,” the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela states
the
following:
1. Venezuela denounces the continued politicization of important
bilateral issues by the U.S. State Department. The Bush administration
consciously
continues to practice a policy of substituting facts by unfounded statements,
driven by simple political differences, the explicit purpose of which is to
isolate Venezuela
.
1. Venezuela has been praised by the international community for its
active and effective cooperation in the fight against the production,
trafficking, and use of illegal drugs:
1. Colombia: “It doesn't matter where that violence comes from, whether
it is from the FARC, the ELN, paramilitaries, or drug dealers. Here we are
telling you that neither Venezuela nor Colombia will waiver in the response” to
their attacks. (Colombian Minister of Defense, Jose Manuel Santos,
September 1, 2006)
2. United Kingdom: Government spokesperson and Minister for the
Middle East, Kim Howells, was largely very positive about Venezuela’s
efforts to
fight drugs, saying it shows “tremendous cooperation” in combating the
international drug trade. (September 3, 2006)
3. Spain: “The Spanish Ministry of Interior sent a communication
thanking Venezuela for the operation conducted. The Venezuelan authorities at
the
Venezuelan International Airport are efficient in registering and detaining
individuals that could be transporting drugs.” (Charge d'Affairs of the
Embassy
of Spain in Venezuela, Ignacio Aguirre, September 5, 2006)
4. France: “France has always counted on the support of Venezuelan
authorities in the fight against drugs. We have intense cooperation between
the
Law Enforcement Attaché at our embassy and the National Anti-Drug Office.”
(Attaché at the Embassy of France in Venezuela, September 5, 2006)
1. Presently, a cooperation agreement between the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Agency and its Venezuelan counterpart is pending. This agreement will allow
a positive and constructive relationship between the two countries in the war
on drugs. Baseless accusations, such as those contained in the Bush
administration’s report, will not help finalize an agreement as important as
this
one.
1. This year, Venezuela has confiscated 35,600 kilograms of illegal
drugs. During this same period, 510 individuals have been detained for
drug-related crimes. In 2005, the National Assembly passed the Law
Against Organized Crime and the Law Against the Trafficking and Consumption
of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances, both of which provide law
enforcement agencies with additional tools to fight the production,
trafficking, and
use of illegal drugs. Similarly, the Government of Venezuela has implemented a
pilot law enforcement program along the country’s southwestern border whose
objective is to prevent and prosecute drug-related crimes.
1. The explicit indication that the Bush administration will continue
to fund opposition groups under the guise of “strengthening democracy” makes
it apparent that they are more preoccupied with regime change than they are
with fighting drug trafficking. Venezuela rejects without qualification or
reservation the imposition of penalties by one country, the United States
, which seeks to act like the world’s judge, jury and executioner.
1. Venezuela will continue its aggressive and successful efforts to
fight the war on drugs with its neighbors and members of international
community. We hope that United Stated will join us in this fight in a serious
way,
rather than using it as propaganda tool. The politicization of an issue that
should be managed in a technical manner and that is of great importance to the
world does not help the one country, the United States that belong to the
countries experiencing the highest rates of consumption of illicit drugs,
according to the 2006 UN world report on drugs.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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