Latin America Calls U.S. Drug War A Failure

Not that most unbiased observers don't know already, but the drug war is complete and utter failure. Billions, if not trillions has been wasted on combating the trade of illicit drugs from the producing countries in Latin America to the United States. What's worse, some of that money has gone to the destruction of arable land and the drinking supply. For a long time, a sizable amount of that money has gone to the governments that support the United States' request to go after the producers. Yet even with those bribes, countries across Latin America are speaking up and calling the drug war for what it is.

From The Wall Street Journal:

The available evidence indicates that the war on drugs is a failed war," said former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, in a conference call with reporters from Rio de Janeiro. "We have to move from this approach to another one."

The commission, headed by Mr. Cardoso and former presidents Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico and César Gaviria of Colombia, says Latin American governments as well as the U.S. must break what they say is a policy "taboo" and re-examine U.S.-inspired antidrugs efforts. The panel recommends that governments consider measures including decriminalizing the use of marijuana.

The report, by the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy, is the latest to question the U.S.'s emphasis on punitive measures to deal with illegal drug use and the criminal violence that accompanies it. A recent Brookings Institution study concluded that despite interdiction and eradication efforts, the world's governments haven't been able to significantly decrease the supply of drugs, while punitive methods haven't succeeded in lowering drug use.

As economists would say, if there is a demand, suppliers can be found to meet that "need." It is clear that the solution the United States came up with is a complete failure and what's worse, helps to increase the dangerous side effects of the fact that the trade is illegal. Corruption is rampant and fueled by drug money wherever the drugs are produced. The finding of the report is simple, that the U.S. must treat drugs as a health problem, not a criminal one.

Now that change may be hard to understand when you are one that is making money off the whack-a-mole strategy that the DEA and other federal agencies use. When you are busy pursuing armed and extremely dangerous drug cartels, it is easy to lose sight of the big picture. Ultimately it is up to the President and Congress to make an attempt to change course and decrease funding for law enforcement and increase that in the health care arena.

Bush Destroys The Monroe Doctrine

One of the first powerful moves by the young nation was taken by President Monroe, who boldly proclaimed that his militarily small Republic had all of Latin America in its influence. Many laughed, but it held true for nearly two hundred years. Unfortunately due to our current President, that influence did not reach its bicentennial anniversary.

From Bloomberg:

Dec. 15 (Bloomberg) -- Latin American and Caribbean leaders gathering in Brazil tomorrow will mark a historic occasion: a region-wide summit that excludes the United States.

Almost two centuries after President James Monroe declared Latin America a U.S. sphere of influence, the region is breaking away. From socialist-leaning Venezuela to market-friendly Brazil, governments are expanding military, economic and diplomatic ties with potential U.S. adversaries such as China, Russia and Iran.

Not only is anti-American sentiment on the rise, it is reaching levels that actually reduce the power of the United States in South America as a whole. This summit is just one example among many, thanks in part to a callousness of the Bush Administration to the diverse and increasingly powerful continent.

Bolivian President Evo Morales last month expelled the Drug Enforcement Administration, alleging that DEA agents were conspiring to overthrow him; U.S. President George W. Bush dismissed the charges as absurd and suspended trade privileges for the Andean nation.

In Ecuador, meanwhile, President Rafael Correa has refused to renew the lease on the U.S.’s only military outpost in South America, a critical platform for the U.S. war on drugs.

For Brazil, tomorrow’s summit caps a decade-long diplomatic drive to use its growing economic and political stability to play a bigger role in the world.

While little concrete action is expected from the first-ever Latin American and Caribbean Summit on Integration and Development, the fact that the U.S. wasn’t invited has symbolic importance, says Lampreia.

It is very important that the U.S. isn't being represented there. The Bush Administration claims that they simply did not want to go but merely talk to some of the players at the conference beforehand. While they may not have asked to be invited, being snubbed if they did would have looked far worse. Bush has wrought so much damage to our global influence, from Europe and the Middle East to our original power base of the Western Hemisphere.

"The War On Democracy"

Seeing who is fighting for the ideal and against it could shock many Americans to their core:

Bush Cares About Latin America

Jeers to Bush's critics that he doesn't care about our Latin American neighbors. Isn't a trip of about a week or so enough to show that Bush really loves all our friends in the Americas. They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach and Bush's stomach is clamoring for some good old latin cooking all over the place.

From the Huffington Post:

It began with Bush's first event in his first country, when he and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva celebrated a new ethanol alliance.

"I appreciate the fact that you're about to buy me lunch," Bush told Silva. "I'm kind of hungry. Looking forward to eating some of that good Brazilian food."

In Uruguay, at a news conference with President Tabare Vazquez, Bush said he couldn't wait to dig into some Uruguayan beef _ something the tiny nation wants to sell more of to the United States.

"You've told me all along how good it is, and after we answer a few questions, we're about to find out," Bush told his host, later praising the country's abundant blueberries, too.

In Colombia, part of Bush's agenda included time with locals growing crops as alternatives to the illegal coca from which cocaine is made. The vendors' stalls were filled with honey, chocolate and coffee.

Next came Guatemala, where Bush hauled some lettuce onto a truck _ something he later called "one of the great experiences of my presidency."

"I'm looking forward to the dinner that you're hosting for Laura and me," Bush told Guatemalan President Oscar Berger in another news conference. "I'm not going to talk too long because I might get too hungry."

Later, Bush's stomach was either really growling _ or it was a ruse to end the questioning. He signaled an end to the joint appearance by asking Berger what was on tap for dinner.

"We have tortillas with guacamole and beans," Berger assured him.

Others didn't care for his visit, like Gerardo Fernandez of the Mexican DRP. He brought Bush a bag of toy soldiers so that the Decider could play war. Unfortunately he wasn't allowed into the festivities in Merida, so he just threw the toys over a security fence while Bush dined on guacamole and beans.

So much food, so little time. Perhaps the President will take doggie bags back with him to the White House. When it comes to crafting policies like CAFTA, it takes a full stomach to screw over all the people you claim to care about.

Bush Is A Bad Spirit

Hugo Chavez may call President Bush the devil, but that is just rhetoric. The Mayans in Guatemala will actually purify the ground he walks on to cleanse it of evil spirits. I kid you not, they actually take Bush's actions to be evil, for the war and the treatment of their brothers to the north. The Mayans have respect for their ancestors and want them to rest peacefully after Bush visits the area.

From the Huffington Post:

"That a person like (Bush), with the persecution of our migrant brothers in the United States, with the wars he has provoked, is going to walk in our sacred lands, is an offense for the Mayan people and their culture," Juan Tiney, the director of a Mayan nongovernmental organization with close ties to Mayan religious and political leaders, said Thursday.

Bush's seven-day tour of Latin America includes a stopover beginning late Sunday in Guatemala. On Monday morning he is scheduled to visit the archaeological site Iximche on the high western plateau in a region of the Central American country populated mostly by Mayans.

Tiney said the "spirit guides of the Mayan community" decided it would be necessary to cleanse the sacred site of "bad spirits" after Bush's visit so that their ancestors could rest in peace. He also said the rites _ which entail chanting and burning incense, herbs and candles _ would prepare the site for the third summit of Latin American Indians March 26-30.

Bush has been on a Latin American trip this week to promote his 'free trade' policies and to fight a perception that the United States has neglected Central and South America under the Bush Adminstration. I hardly believe that a quick trip to several countries is going to do anything to improve the relations between Latin America and the U.S. Actions speak louder than words and Bush's decisions only hurt other countries while serving the powerful interests in North America.