Colombia Vice President Francisco Santos said Wednesday his country
needs to continue waging the war on drugs if Colombia hopes to provide
the security needed to attract foreign investment.
Santos,
making a weeklong visit to the United States, reiterated his
government’s position two days after three former Latin American
presidents said the war on drugs had failed.
“For us the drug trafficking money is what finances criminal groups,
the drug trafficking groups, corruption,” the vice president said after
speaking with businessmen at the headquarters of the Los Angeles
Chamber of Commerce.
“For us the only action we have is to maintain pressure against the
drug traffickers and act against their crops, harvests, labs, goods and
continue this frontal fight.”
In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece published Monday, former
presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil, Cesar Gaviria of
Colombia, and Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico wrote that the war on drugs in
Latin America did not work and suggested a radical reform focused on
prevention and education.
“It’s high time to replace an ineffective strategy with more humane
and efficient drug policies,” the former leaders wrote, affirming the
conclusion of the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy
report presented at a conference in Rio de Janeiro on Feb. 11.
“Prohibitionist policies based on eradication, interdiction and
criminalization of consumption simply haven’t worked. Violence and the
organized crime associated with the narcotics trade remain critical
problems in our countries,” they wrote.
Santos said the war against drugs has helped to create security in
Colombia, which has been hindered by conflicts with guerrilla groups,
drug traffickers and paramilitaries.
“What we are doing in terms of security against the drug
traffickers, the terrorist organizations, all the criminal
organizations, is helping us to get the best indicators of security,
which permits us to attract much more investments,” Santos said at the
meeting, which was held to promote investment opportunities in his
country.
Santos is making a seven-day official visit to the U.S. and has scheduled presentations in Chicago, New York and San Francisco.
The vice president plans to promote Colombia as an investment
destination. He also wants to promote the country’s Shared
Responsibility initiative, which aims to educate other countries about
the environmental and social effects of Colombian drug production —
which largely is fueled by other nation’s drug consumption.
Santos’ visit ends Friday.