Thursday, January 24, 2008

Venezuela to sue U.S. over drug comments

The government of Venezuela plans to sue the U.S. via the Organization of American States (OAS) based on recent comments made by antidrug czar John Waters. “Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez, has become a major facilitator for the trafficking of cocaine to other nations on this continent and to Europe” said Waters last week during a trip to Colombia.

The dispute between Venezuela and the U.S. over the “war on drugs” came to a head yesterday during an OAS session yesterday:

Venezuelan representative Jorge Valero claimed the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had carried out "conspirative" activities and "espionage" while it worked in Venezuela until 2005, when the Chavez government broke cooperation agreements with the United States and expelled representatives of the agency…

US Ambassador Robert Manzanares replied, "It is difficult to understand how a country dedicated to fighting drug trafficking could simultaneously support FARC, carrying out a campaign to legitimize this group which has been rejected the world over."

Meanwhile, a Venezuelan opposition politician wants Chavez to “take a toxicological exam” after Chavez claimed to chewing coca leaves daily.

Sources- Xinhua, El Universal, earthtimes.org, Reuters, UPI

Image- babble

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

In the link to the article from The Universal.com, there is nothing there about Venezuela planning to "sue" the US. The article talks about "denouncing" the US in a OAS setting.

Erwin C. said...

The second link (from Xinhua) provides more info on Venezuela suing the U.S.

Anonymous said...

"Venezuela opposition demands drug test for Chavez"
I must admit this story made me laugh....now if Chavez admitted he chews on coca leaves, for what reason does the opposition party want to perform a toxicological test....its a no brainer what the results would be.

Erwin C. said...

"for what reason does the opposition party want to perform a toxicological test"

Probably as a public relations thing. Just talking about it got our attention, no? (Even if it was good for a chuckle or two!)

Anonymous said...

Once again the US Media report as truth comments by a man who was appointed by Bush.
All states that disagree are always accused of dealing in Drugs, its a wonder that man did not accuse Presedenta Chavaz of commiting Genoside. Because the people of Venezuela like to chew Coca leaves, does not mean that they are exporting it on a government level, Im sure El Presendenta has more pressing things on his mind than the purile comments of a Bush appointee, and Im certain more purile rubbish will be said about Venezuela in the coming months, next it will be killing babies.