The government of the President of the United States, Joe Biden, presented to the Congress of his country the first evaluation on the fight once morest drugs since President Gustavo Petro took office.
In that evaluation, known in scoop by EL TIEMPO, he pointed out that Colombia must maintain a robust program of forced eradication of coca crops, expand voluntary eradication and increase cocaine and chemical precursor interdiction operations if it wants to achieve peace.
(Exclusively: US asks Petro to strengthen forced eradication and expand voluntary)
The report, of course, evaluates other countries in the region. In the case of Venezuela, he maintains that there is concern regarding the increase in illicit crops in its territory, something that is turning this nation not only into a point of trafficking but also of drug production.
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“Increasing evidence of coca cultivation and cocaine production in domestic drug laboratories suggests that Venezuela is now a producing country for illicit drugs, as well as a transit country,” the report says.
In general terms, the State Department asserts that Venezuela continues to be a major route for drug trafficking and the Maduro regime is increasingly dependent on the drug business for its livelihood.
“The Maduro regime – it maintains – is increasingly dependent on the revenues from drug trafficking, along with other illicit activities, to maintain its illegitimate hold on power. The regime’s lack of cooperation in international drug control. international drugs, the usurpation of the judicial system, military and security services for illicit purposes, public corruption and cooperation with non-state armed actors and criminal elements provided the ideal conditions for drug trafficking operations and associated violence”.
Likewise, the US says it is concerned regarding the production and trafficking of fentanyl in Mexico and the increase in illicit crops in Honduras.
SERGIO GÓMEZ MASERI
EL TIEMPO correspondent
Washington
