Drugs and the Summit

Apr 16, 2012 Editorial

The Sixth Summit of the Americas is now over. The Heads of State of every country in the hemisphere – barring three – were in attendance; the latter because of their disagreement with the US’s stance on refusing Cuba’s participation in the Summit.
This issue was very frankly aired with the US steadfastly holding on to their Cold War policy more than two decades after they won the war. If there was even an anachronism in world politics, this policy was it and the US President’s peers were not shy about expressing their sentiments.
But it was the second major issue – dubbed by the US as “the war on drugs” – that was of even greater interest to Guyana and most of the other attendees. And sadly here again, the US adopted a position that was at variance from every other Head of State.
The US refused to budge from its strategy and concede that there was no light at the end of the tunnel on “the war on drugs”. President Obama had in recent weeks faced criticism from some Presidents who said the U.S. approach to the drug trade had simply generated more violence in Latin America. But he reiterated that the U.S. would not shift strategies in the war on drugs.
The host of the Summit, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, is considered one of Washington’s closest allies. But Santos declared frankly it was perhaps time for a change in drug policy — perhaps a big change.
He meant possibly veering from the U.S.’s tough military approach against drug gangs in the region. “After an objective, rigorous analysis of policy,” Santos said, “we might reach another conclusion on strategy.” Options that some leaders have proposed include decriminalizing some drugs.
He offered a rationale that should resonate with us in Guyana. He cited the irony of Colombia’s “successes”, funded by the US. While it extradites hundreds of alleged drug traffickers for trial to the U.S., criminals turn to other countries where law enforcement is weaker. Central America and Mexico, in particular, are bleeding as traffickers shift to countries of lesser resistance, such as Guyana, as we know to our cost.
“We know that our success has (negatively) affected other countries and we are pedalling and pedalling and pedalling like we’re on a stationary bike,” said Santos. “The moment has come to analyze if what we’re doing is best or if we can find a more effective and cheaper alternative for society.”
But seeking this alternative is not a new endeavour. Back in 1998, the UN had committed itself to eliminating the drug problem in the next decade by attacking its supply side. By 2008 it had to declare it had failed completely.
The problem was the US remained the number one drug destination with the corresponding number one spot for drug users – even though it reportedly spends a whopping US$40 billion annually on its “war on drugs”.
After another world conclave in 2009 to rethink the issue, the Europeans, supported by the Latin American countries that have borne the brunt of violence of the “war on drugs”, showed conclusively that the war on drugs was ineffective and that a new approach was needed.
They suggested the problem of drugs be defined as a “public health” issue which could mean an end of prohibition and the ‘war on drugs”. The US would have none of it – and this obviously remains its position. Never mind the drug war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and undermined governments such as ours and Mexico’s etc.
As usual, Obama was his amiable self and allowed that a debate about the drug issue was positive – the countries suggesting change are necessarily concerned because of its negative impact on their economies and societies.
But his bottom line was, “I, personally, and my administration’s position, is that legalization is not the answer.” So we can expect local entrepreneurs to ensure Guyana remains a major trans-shipment point for drugs to the booming US market. And for the US to continue to castigate us.

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