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.

2. 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:

a. 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)
b. 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)
c. 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)
d. 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)

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

Washington DC, September 18, 2006