DATE=7/28/1999
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=COLOMBIA DRUGS
NUMBER=5-43965
BYLINE=BILL RODGERS
DATELINE=BOGOTA
CONTENT=


INTRO:  Drug cultivation and trafficking have increased 
in Colombia - despite some gains made by the Colombian 
government.  Colombia is asking the United States for 
more help to combat drugs - a fight that is complicated 
by the involvement of leftist guerrillas in the drug 
trade.  VOA's Bill Rodgers has this background report 
from Bogota.

TEXT:  Colombia has long been a source for cocaine - 
but in recent years the cultivation, production and 
trafficking of the drug has grown dramatically.  
According to estimates, three fourths of the world's 
cocaine now comes from Colombia. 

U-S drug policy director Barry McCaffrey, who just 
concluded a two-day visit this week to this South 
American nation, says cocaine -- and now heroin -- are 
major problems.   

/// McCAFFREY ACT///

Some of the figures are just horrendous.  Coca 
production has doubled in three years.  It's continuing 
to explode in the growth areas - particularly in the 
south Putumayo and Caqueta provinces. Heroin production 
is now more than six metric tons a year, it comes out 
of Colombia and to our shock in the past two years more 
than half the heroin seized in America came out of 
Colombia and Mexico. 

///END ACT/// 

Colombia - which is now receiving more U-S anti-
narcotics aid than ever before - is making some gains. 
 Colombian security forces seized a record amount of 
coca products last year -- some 57 metric tons -- and 
also destroyed 185 cocaine laboratories.  Police 
arrested a number of important drug smugglers, 
including major figures of a key cocaine processing 
organization.

Despite this, cocaine production continues to rise.  A 
recent report by the U-S General Accounting Office - an 
investigative arm of the Congress - says coca 
cultivation has increased 50 percent in Colombia 
despite two years of extensive herbicide spraying.

The head of Colombia's anti-narcotics division of the 
police, Colonel Leonardo Gallardo, agrees there has 
been an increase in coca cultivation  - but says this 
has happened in areas where the police have not been 
able to operate.

///Gallardo Spanish Act///

He said in places where the police, army and other 
agencies of the state can conduct operations, drug 
traffickers have been hit with heavy blows.  Colonel 
Gallardo said: we need to extend our operations into 
the other areas.

The police officer was referring to territories 
controlled by leftist guerrillas - where coca 
cultivation and drug trafficking are allowed.  Two main 
rebel groups - the FARC and the E-L-N - operate freely 
in more than 40 percent of Colombia's territory - 
including a vast demilitarized zone in the southern 
part of the country.  

The FARC and E-L-N deny any involvement in the drug 
trade.  But there is evidence that these guerrilla 
groups receive anywhere from 200 to 600 million dollars 
a year from drug traffickers in return for protection. 
 Right-wing paramilitary groups also are said to be 
heavily involved in the drug trade.  All this money 
helps equip and arm these groups, and fuels the 
violence that is devastating this South American 
nation. 

U-S drug czar Barry McCaffrey warns this violence 
threatens not only Colombia's democracy but other 
countries as well. 

/// McCAFFREY ACT ///

This is a very dangerous situation for Colombian 
democracy, the spillover effect is having an enormous 
impact on Ecuador, Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru.  
It's clearly a source of enormous violence and 
corruption directed at Colombian democratic 
authorities.  Eighty percent of the drugs that come 
into the United States originate in Colombia or transit 
through this nation.

/// END ACT ///

The United States is providing 289 million dollars in 
anti-narcotics aid to Colombia this year - making 
Colombia the third largest recipient of American aid 
after Israel and Egypt.  However, Colombia has asked 
this figure to be increased to 500 million dollars - 
and Mr. McCaffrey's office has proposed a regional 
anti-drug program that would cost one-billion dollars. 

 Under the proposal, most of the money would be 
allocated to Colombia. (Signed)  

NEB/WFR/KL   



28-Jul-1999 13:15 PM LOC (28-Jul-1999 1715 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.