Guatemala President proposes to legalize drugs and shipment route
Otto Perez Molina
With escalating violence in the region, decriminalizing the transportation of drugs heading to the US has become a hot topic. The idea was first broached by the Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina. He has been lobbying for support because he believes that in the war on drugs, US assistance has not reduced the drug trade or trafficking. As we reported, last week Saturday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington and Minister of National Security John Saldivar attended a meeting in Antigua, Guatemala. Elrington explains that the president of Costa Rica wants the region to be paid for the confiscation of drugs. But is Perez Molina’s proposal gaining ground? Elrington says Perez Molina’s plan has four proposals.
Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington
“These proposals dealt essentially with the issue of the decriminalizing drug trafficking. The meeting was preceded by discussions or papers dealing with drug trafficking and the decriminalization thereof and these papers were presented by an ex-President of Colombia and an ex-Secretary General of the OAS, Mister Cesar Gavira. Another was from PAHO, an expert and another from the Carter Center. And all these people spoke on the issue of the decriminalization on the consumption of drugs—not necessarily drug trafficking but the consumption. President Perez Molina then presented four proposal and these proposals related to one; a frontal attack on trafficking as is being done in Mexico, two; the creation of a regional court with regional jurisdiction to deal with high profile crimes in the region such as narco-trafficking, money laundering, trafficking in weapons; three, the issue of the decriminalization and regulation of the transshipment of drugs. This entails designing and creating a corridor for the transport of drugs and establishing border controls for the proper registry for the movement of drugs, creating a regional agency for the control and management and the shipment of drugs. And four, the issue of the legalization of the consumption of drugs with all necessary legislation put into place; taking into consideration the production, consumption and transshipment. A supervising agency will be created to oversee all logistics. So it is really major matters he wanted to discuss. President Chinchilla of Costa Rica, who was present, proposed that United States and major drug consuming nations be asked to pay the region a certain quota for every kilo of drugs confiscated as a direct contribution to the fight. As I indicated to you earlier, we had certainly made the observation that it’s drug trafficking and it is really seen as a national security interest for the United States so that they would not be in favor of these proposals and we did not think that in fact any fruitful discussion of these issues could take place in the absence of a representative from the United States.”
I thought drug use and trafficking was already legalized in bze !!!!
So what was yours and the wise Minister Saldivar’s position on these issues Minister Elrington? Only that the US should be represented??? Come on… You PM must be so proud of your firm stance on drug related crime in the country and the region…right?!
Corridor, transshipment for who? Govt seizures or drug shippers who register with govt.
the Guat president is an idiot. He has virtually told the DEA and CIA to check his background and connections more deeply. May be he has been threatened by the narco kingpins or may be some narco kingpins are responsible for his ascendency to the presidency and he now owes them a huuge favour becuase ‘an offer he cannot refuse’ was made’
The DEA IS NOT HAPPY…but this many produce monies to governments to fight poverty at least.
Congrats to the Guat Prez for taking such a brave stand-we are all independent-if US can’t curb their demand and stop their guns coming here, then why should we kill ourselves and crowd our jails for their enjoyment? Let them stop first and we stop the drugs. No guns are made in Belize yet every criminal owns a few.
Everybody knows its the Americans that use the most drugs.
Perfect example are those two sketels walking down Albert Street in a swim suit talking about
it is so rebelish here and they love it.
Those two skets were high as a kite!!!!!!!!
If the drugs were affecting Belizeans alone America could care less….
The only think about themselves so why not let the drugs go there and continue to demolish there country and free up ours.
Tell me what you think guys……
it would be good if the gov. of the U.S pay the countries per kilo as to help curb the flow of drugs to their country, since they are the ones demanding the drugs more than any country in our region. they need to help also because they are the consumers not we and to help with their technology to stop the trafficking of drug on the borders. we are short of technology so why not help us train and give the help so we can help them also.
The hope of every drug dealer is that every ounce finds its way into the US because they get more money for the drugs in the US. The little that is consumed in Belize and else where in Central America does not bring them much money so yes they should pay by the ounce.
Remember there was a time when it was easier to get their drugs into the US and they did not bring it through our country then.
Our country’s consumption of controlled drugs went up only because they are trying to get their product into the US. The exposure increases consumption and consumption increases adiction and this is why our little country is where we are today in termas of drug use. Poor leadershaip by the two dominant political parties does not help either.
I deh with you Lino. Let the US deal with since they see it as a problem. Because technically speaking, just like guns, nothing is wrong drugs. Its the misuse of it. Everyone in America is entitled to a gun. Its like a right. You only get in trouble for the misuse. Well, same knife weh stab sheep, stab goat. Free up the corridor, tax the drugs, let it pass. We need the money and could do without being enemies with the cartels…….
Give the police that catch the drugs a huge cash reward and you will see how good they are at catching drug dealers.
May the money roll, USA solve their own problem, we have enough problems to deal with, so why we should shoulder the USA problem?