CARACAS, Venezuela, Aug. 22, 2008
U.S. Drug Czar Points To Venezuela
Says Cocaine Flowing Up Through Venezuelan Ports But Venezuelan Gov't Not Cooperating
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In this image released by the Dutch Navy, bales of seized cocaine are displayed on the deck of a merchant vessel inside which they were hidden by smugglers, in the Caribbean Sea, south of Puerto Rico, Aug. 18, 2008. A combined U.S. and Dutch counter-drug operation netted 4.6 tons of cocaine, seized from a Panamanian flagged freighter that had set sail from Venezuela. (AP Photo/Dutch Navy)
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White House drug czar John Walters told The Associated Press that Venezuela has shown no willingness to cooperate with U.S. officials against drugs.
"Cooperation's gotten worse and the problem's gotten bigger," Walters told the AP in a phone interview from Washington.
The flow of Colombian cocaine through Venezuela has quadrupled since 2004, reaching an estimated 282 tons last year, he said.
"The flow is increasing as dramatically as it is because it is operating in a condition of impunity," Walters said. "The failure of the Venezuelan government to go after this is a failure to be serious."
Venezuelan officials argue they are taking drug trafficking seriously and point to large seizures in recent years. President Hugo Chavez and his foreign minister, Nicolas Maduro, have suggested they would be willing to work with the U.S. against drugs on terms of mutual respect.
But Walters said his attempt to restart cooperation has been stymied as Venezuelan officials have yet to agree to his request for a meeting, and a visa request for him and other American officials has been held up for more than a week.
"Frankly, this has gotten to the point where they're playing games," Walters said. "Usually drugs is beyond a lot of other political differences. We have a cooperative relationship with Cuba."
But in Venezuela's case, he said, "there just has been no willingness to establish that cooperation or re-establish a working relationship."
There was no immediate reaction from Venezuela's government. Its top counter-drug official, Nestor Reverol, did not immediately return a call to an aide seeking comment.
U.S. law enforcement officials have detected repeated flights by planes that take off from Venezuela, drop large loads of cocaine off the island of Hispaniola and return to Venezuela, Walters said. Other multi-ton loads are moving, largely by ship but also by air, from Venezuela to west Africa - a way station for shipments to Europe.
In the latest bust, Dutch and U.S. officials said Friday that the Dutch Navy and U.S. Coast Guard seized 4.6 tons of cocaine last weekend aboard a freighter in the Caribbean that had set sail from Venezuela.
The Dutch Navy said it is the largest haul of cocaine it has ever intercepted.
Walters, head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, recommended a list of actions Venezuela could take to cooperate. They include:
DEA operations have been restricted since Chavez suspended formal cooperation in August 2005, accusing the DEA of being a front for espionage.
Walters said that hasn't changed: "there has been no willingness to cooperate with DEA."
Still, counter-drug efforts were one of the topics discussed by Venezuela's foreign minister and U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter on Friday as the Pennsylvania Republican visited Caracas, the state-run Bolivarian News Agency reported.
Maduro said the meeting was cordial and addressed topics from the upcoming U.S. presidential election to baseball. Details of what they discussed about drugs weren't immediately available.
Walters said the U.S. is ready to provide Venezuela with photos of planes that have been repeatedly shuttling drugs out of Venezuela, including images showing their tail numbers.
The traffickers, Walters said, are clearly "buying people" and "compromising government authority."
"You've got to go after the criminals and you've got to go after those who are in positions of authority and are criminals," Walters said. His message for Venezuela, he added, is: "Just do it. It's in your interest to do it."
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Add a Comment See all 38 Comments
- If we want prohibition, this is one of the results of it. The White House Drug Punk can complain about criminals taking over drug distribution, or Mexican gangs coming into national forests and growing marijuana, but the fact of the matter is that prohibition is what gives them the incentive. Let people grow their own and the problem largely goes alway. But, to admit that, the Drug Punk would have to admit this policy is not only a failure, but among the biggest domestic policy failures in our nation''s history. But he won''t. And his successor won''t because they are lying MoFo''s
- Reply to this comment
- The war on drugs is over. Drugs won.
Posted by stupidrules3 at 02:39 PM : Aug 23, 2008,,,
lol - Reply to this comment
- HUSSEINs VICE PRESIDENT,,,
hmmmm will it be a TYPICAL WHITE PERSON???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8gnmUyminI
hmmmm will it be one that is clinging to his gun and religion???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNoJ0q6HrK8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmv5NZ4zcdc&feature=related
hmmmm will it be one that wants americans to learn spanish???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZprtPat1Vk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W7srmHLclw
hmmmm will it be a RACIST like himSelf, hating whitey and jews???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfC4OOm1aoM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI77cU3jsFs&feature=related
RACIST HUSSEIN PICKS,,, RACIST BIDEN AS VP,,, shocker,,,
Obama''''s Racist Vice President Biden
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlxXNyIuyTM
BIDEN SAYS NOW,,, HE IS HAPPY TO BE VICE PRESIDENT TO HUSSEIN,,,
"I mean, you''ve got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice looking guy."
: SENATOR JOE BIDEN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxWSVXZVR4c
BIDEN SAYS HUSSEIN NOT READY,,,
BIDEN SAYS HE IS READY TO RUN WITH OR AGAINST MCCAIN,,,
BIDEN SAYS COUNTRY BETTER OFF WITH MCCAIN,,, THAN HUSSEIN,,,
Joe Biden On Barack Obama
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDVUPqoowf8 - Reply to this comment
- NAIVE HUSSEIN SEES AMERICA AS EVIL,,,
and you want to make him PRESIDENT OF THE USA???
Saddleback Church Civil Forum - Obama & McCain 8 of 17
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqsH13unGbM&feature=related
Abortion, evil, Obama and McCain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0eVomjmCGI - Reply to this comment
- terrorislamz.. came back as a trojan malware virus ajx.255-6-45101-RX-12-75.001.78772
- Reply to this comment
- terrorislamz said: "NAIVE HUSSEIN SEES AMERICA AS EVIL, and you want to make him PRESIDENT OF THE USA???" Yes. More than that. I''d like to kick you and people like you out of the U.S. for bankrupting our children while handing our taxes to the richest corporations on this planet.
Honestly, you shouldn''t be here. Eventually, we''re going to find out who you are, what you did, and send you packing to Dubai, where you can play with your friends. The Bin Ladens.
And their friends.
The Bushes. - Reply to this comment
- Russia should send in their defense troops to protect Venezuela from US attack.
- Reply to this comment
- Sounds like the guy is trying to build a case for invading Venezuela and stealing their oil.
- Reply to this comment
- U.S. Drug Czar should check out Mendocino California.
Posted by marcpcbs
Naw, the guy likely has no appreciation of good pot. - Reply to this comment
- I`m not sure which is worst, America`s insatiable demand for illegal drugs or foreign oil!
Posted by tbweb
America''s war on pot would be up there. - Reply to this comment
- "You''''ve got to go after the criminals and you''''ve got to go after those who are in positions of authority and are criminals," Walters said. His message for Venezuela, he added, is: "Just do it. It''''s in your interest to do it."
Like folks in a propaganda spewing organization such as ONDCP, Mr. Walters? - Reply to this comment
- "You''ve got to go after the criminals and you''ve got to go after those who are in positions of authority and are criminals," Walters said. His message for Venezuela, he added, is: "Just do it. It''s in your interest to do it."
Just how is it in their interest, care to explain, Mr. Walters? - Reply to this comment
- After years if insulting and demonizing Chavez and Venezuela,because they had the ''nads to do what we should be doing nationalizing the oil, and trying to look after the poorest, now there are those who complain that Chavez is not cooperating.
Frankly I don''t blame him. - Reply to this comment
- "U.S. Drug Czar Points To Venezuela"
The cocaine will never stop flowing.
Until we get rid of our drug czar. - Reply to this comment
- The war on drugs is over. Drugs won.
- Reply to this comment
- So the neocons are already beating the drums of war against Venezuela.
You''d think the little fracas that John McCain helped start on the Russian border would be enough to keep the Bushite fascists busy for some time. - Reply to this comment
- We sure can''t let anyone slow the flow of drug money. After all that is the main reason for the Afghan crusade. That religious nut Osama was trying to close down the poor Afghan poppy growers until born more than one time George Bush rode to the rescue.
- Reply to this comment
- Secure borders will solve several of our major problems. Until Washing gives the citizenry a little respect, illegals, terrorists and drugs have free access to the USA. If they can''t keep out drugs and illegals who come on foot through the desert, how can they possibly prevent nuclear material from coming in? Oh, I guess Obama''s answer is for American citizens to learn Spanish, while McCain thinks amnesty is the way to go. Keep your firearms and plenty of ammo handy. This is going down hill fast.
- Reply to this comment
- Drug Experts know the `real` illegal drug problem is with the demand for them and the consumer, not the seller! I`m not sure which is worst, America`s insatiable demand for illegal drugs or foreign oil!
- Reply to this comment
- If only people would just pray to Jesus and lead christian lives this wouldnt be a problem.
Posted by gop_forever at 10:42 AM : Aug 23, 2008
amen - Reply to this comment
