Bolivia Suspends U.S. Anti-Drug Efforts

(AP)  Bolivian President Evo Morales on Saturday suspended operations by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, an agency he has accused of spying and helping to destabilize his government.

Morales announced the indefinite cutoff in a speech in which he said his government has wiped out more than 12,300 acres of illegally planted coca this year. Coca is the raw material for cocaine, but Bolivians use it in its natural form as a traditional tea or chew.

Morales has accused the DEA of working with and even financing his political opposition, as well as fomenting regional anti-government protests and using its drug plane for espionage.

U.S. officials have denied any political involvement by American anti-drug efforts.

"There were DEA agents who worked to conduct political espionage and to fund criminal groups so they could launch attacks on the lives of authorities, if not the president," Morales said.

Morales denied a DEA request to fly an anti-drug plane over South America's poorest country early last month, saying Bolivia doesn't need U.S. help to control its coca crop.

The country then expelled the U.S. ambassador, and Washington later put Bolivia on an anti-narcotics blacklist that cuts trade preferences. Bolivian business leaders estimate that loss of the tariff exemptions would cost South America's poorest country as many as 20,000 jobs.

In Washington, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman Garrison Courtney said Morales' decision creates "an unfortunate situation," but the agency will find other ways to deal with drug traffic from the South American nation.

"We will find other ways to make sure we keep abreast of the drug-trafficking situation through there," Courtney told The Associated Press.

[CMancos]

Coca is the raw material for cocaine, but Bolivians use it in its natural form as a traditional tea or chew...

Yeah, sure they do. There isnt a Bolivaian in the country tring to make coke out of those leaves, just a bunch of leave chewin, tea drinkers. Some people believe anything the media tells them. As far as the spying, so what. All coutries do it and have been doing it for a long time, demonize them for a change.

[usagator]

Morales is probably speaking the truth. We meddle with third world governments all the time. When the Russians explain to the leaders of these countries about our secret technologies and how the US is using them to gain control over people in their countries and also at home they kick US out. We could use this same technology to completely eliminate drugs and crime in our country. Eventually this will be done. But it''s going to scare the hell out of people when they find out how this stuff works. Did you happen to see the monkey on 60 minutes tonight? The brain doesn''t just transmit it also receives. Ever heard of Voice to Skull or Remote Nural Monitoring?

[middleman8]

Isn''t it pathetic, the U S blames every country in the world for its drug problem.
Maybe the blame should start at home.

[swingset4u]

Look at the nose on this guy! He probably doesn''t want the U.S. to investigate because he looks as if he does enough coke to kill a rhino!

[idnnsg]

"Chavez and Morales are both socialists who are nationalizing everything and forming alliances with Russia"

Hey! That sounds just like what Bush has been doing!

[downsteamjim]

The pro cocaine and pro crack people are out in force.

[downsteamjim]

Moose2riches: Alaska is not in South America or Africa. Get a globe and educate yourself.

[collegegrad4]

This is getting out of control. When did muslims become the enemy. I am christian, but I don''t think it should be our countries role to define a whole religion as an enemy. If anything we should call catholics enemies because of what the catholic priest do to little boys. That is very stupid is it not? Then you get my point. If you don''t then here it goes; one should not make a whole religion an enemy based off of the actions of a few misguided souls. Some terriorist are muslims, some molesters are catholic, and some of our greatest oppressors were christians.

[ubrew12]

bob5ford said: "When [Latin Americans] invade us by land through Mexico maybe we''ll wake up. Of course it will be a little late by then. "

Honestly. How do people like you come to call yourselves Americans??

[andrew_693]

since they kicked the DEA out there has not been a single military coup attempt at destabilizing that democracy. Maybe once they remove the elements of the number one drug consuming nation from bolivia, the drug problem will stop for bolivia. Best of luck.