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White House waives sanctions on Bolivia

It says the world's No. 3 coca producer is doing enough the fight the drug's production.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published September 16, 2007

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration has decided to waive penalties against the world's third-leading producer of coca, saying that Bolivia has done enough to fight the production and sale of the cocaine precursor to warrant a reprieve.

The decision came in a report sent to Congress on Friday that lists 20 nations, including Bolivia, as "major drug transit" or "major drug producing" countries that can be subject to punitive measures from the United States.

But it says Bolivia has taken adequate steps to stave off the sanctions. Last year, there was heated debate about whether the government in La Paz deserved a pass, so Washington delayed a decision.

The report concludes that the same 20 countries as in 2006 are the world's leading producers or transit points for drugs.

Certain aid can be cut off to countries that have "demonstrably failed" in efforts to combat the spread of illicit narcotics.

For the third year in a row, only Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, and Venezuela were singled out as having "demonstrably failed."

The report says Myanmar continues to be the largest producer of methamphetamine in Asia, has done little or nothing to crack down on the trade and remains a leading source of opium.

Venezuela is accused of failing to take steps to curb the transit of narcotics through its soil to the United States and Europe.

The report says Bolivia made some progress last year despite a continued strong showing of traditional coca production.

"Bolivian counter-narcotics cooperation has been uneven," it said, noting discrepancies between the government's stated antidrug policies and tolerance of coca production.

"We strongly encourage the government of Bolivia to make its No. 1 priority the reduction and eventual elimination of excess coca crops," it said. "We urge the government of Bolivia to revamp its national drug control strategy to eliminate permissiveness in ... production."

Earlier this year, leftist Bolivian President Evo Morales, still the leader of a major coca growers union who has campaigned for some legal use of coca, came in for U.S. criticism in an interim report for failing to deal with increased production.

.FAST FACTS

The drug list

Here are the 20 nations the United States considers major drug transit or producing counties: Bolivia, Afghanistan, the Bahamas, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela.

[Last modified September 16, 2007, 01:03:00]