Latest update November 15th, 2024 12:11 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

US and the Drug War

Mar 21, 2012 Editorial

 

The recent assassination of an individual who had been previously implicated in the drug trade and the confiscation of a haversack with cocaine on the CJIA tarmac are only two incidents that confirm the burgeoning drug trade in Guyana. Not that much confirmation is needed since many of the individuals involved in the illicit business are very well known to the public.
Earlier this month, the US released its 2012 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR) which also confirmed that we continue to be a “transit country” for cocaine destined for the US and other locations up north. The cocaine, originating in Columbia, is smuggled via Venezuela into Guyana through our extensive and very porous border. The smuggling is done by land, sea and air and it is not unlikely that some of the acts of piracy that occur, especially off the Essequibo Coast, might be associated with drug interceptions.
A week after the US report, Venezuela reported that it was deploying some 15,000 troops to its borders with Columbia and Guyana to search and destroy drug processing and transshipment facilities. Ironically, Venezuelan Defence Minister General Henry Rangel Silva had been fingered in 2008 by the US as a ‘drug kingpin’ for his role in providing support to the rebel “Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia”, commonly known as the FARC. The scope of the Venezuelan response offers a perspective into the kind of resources that Guyana will have to muster to become more effective in the fight against drug smuggling, as it is being exhorted by the US to do.
From local reports, it is also common knowledge that after the cocaine reaches Guyana, it is smuggled out mainly to the US via several routes: secreted in the full range of legitimate produce exported by Guyana; on airlines; inside ‘mules’ and in the hulls of ships. As the US report has highlighted, our political and judicial infrastructure has been impacted by narco-influence, and the economy has become increasingly affected by narco-dollars. The drug money is so large in relation to the economy that the subversion of most legitimate institutions is not surprising. It is widely speculated that the present building boom is largely fuelled by drug money being ‘laundered”.
While it will not provide any comfort to Guyanese concerned about the long term survival of our state, the drug smuggling operations are much more ‘advanced’ in several Latin American countries. They provide a vision (or nightmare) of where our country is headed unless the drug trade is halted. But just as the INSCR was being released, US VP Joe Biden was visiting the region and he received a lecture from the leaders of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Costa Rica that had long been recommended by academics and anti-drug advocates and former heads of state: legalisation.
Successive US administrations, from both sides of their political divide, have consistently and vehemently rejected such a course but the tide in its favour has now reached a new high. This debate is long overdue for many practical reasons; every pundit in every relevant country seems to agree that the drug war long ago failed. But there is also a very good ethical reason to start rethinking current US strategy. As the world’s largest consumers of narcotics, the American market has stoked violence, conflict, armed insurgency, corruption and human rights abuses abroad.
Today, American money is propping up the drug wars faster than any government agencies, U.S. or foreign, can fight back. More than 50,000 have been killed in Mexico since 2006 alone. The President of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla,  expressed the frustration that many in Latin America are experiencing when she told Biden “we demand the United States assume responsibility.”
The US has contributed hugely to the ‘war on drugs’ in the region with US$13 billion to Columbia and Mexico alone. Guyana has consistently complained that it has not received enough support in its efforts but maybe it should add its voice to the calls for US’ legalisation also.

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | November, 11th, 2024

 

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Guyana Beverage Inc. on board with Petra to host 8th Annual Girls U11 Football Tournament

Guyana Beverage Inc. on board with Petra to host 8th Annual Girls U11...

Nov 14, 2024

  Kaieteur Sports- As excitement builds for Saturday’s kickoff, Guyana Beverage Inc. through its Koolkidz brand has joined the roster of sponsors supporting the Petra Organisation’s MVP...
Read More
GFF launches NAMILCO/Maid Marian Wheat Up Women’s Cup

GFF launches NAMILCO/Maid Marian Wheat Up...

Nov 14, 2024

Semi’s bowls off tomorrow with double-header at Providence 

Semi’s bowls off tomorrow with...

Nov 14, 2024

NO SURPRISE!!

NO SURPRISE!!

Nov 14, 2024

More support for Project “Cricket Gear for young and promising cricketers in Guyana”.

More support for Project “Cricket Gear for...

Nov 14, 2024

Guyana to participate at 2024 FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup

Guyana to participate at 2024 FIBA 3×3...

Nov 13, 2024

Features/Columnists

  • The Jagdeo Jig!

    …Peeping Tom Kaieteur News-Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has become master of sidestepping, shuffling, and even pirouetting... more

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]