Morales Says U.S. Shouldn't Grade Countries on Anti-Drug Fight

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Bloomberg

Morales Says U.S. Shouldn't Grade Countries on Anti-Drug Fight

By Jonathan J. Levin

Nov. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Bolivian President Evo Morales said the United States has no authority to certify whether countries are successfully fighting drug trafficking.

In an annual report to the U.S. Congress, President George W. Bush on Sept. 16 cited three nations, including Bolivia, for failing to fight illegal drugs, marking the first time the Andean nation had appeared in the most severe category. Venezuela and Myanmar were also cited.

The counter-narcotics ``certification process of the U.S. government has to end,'' Morales said in a speech at the Organization of American States broadcast on the OAS Web site. ``It's just political vengeance. It would have to be the OAS or the United Nations that would lead an effort like that.''

The U.S. last month removed Bolivia from the Andean Trade Preferences program as a result of its failure to fight drug cultivation and trafficking. The program gives Andean countries duty-free access to U.S. markets in exchange for their cooperation in counter-narcotics efforts.


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