"Plan Colombia," Bogotá's US— backed program to reduce drug production in that Andean nation, "isn't working," charges Luis Correa, leader of Venezuela's National Commission Against Illicit Drug Use (Conacuid). Luis Correa said there had been "a huge increase" in illegal crop production in areas of Colombia near the Venezuelan border. "In July, we were able to prove it through satellite photos provided by the OAS, which even revealed new landing strips," the Conacuid chief told reporters. "In my opinion, this shows that Plan Colombia isn't working, because — according to what they said — the purpose was to eliminate the crops and reduce drug production."

According to Correa, the program is not only ineffective, but is causing Venezuela "numerous problems on the border." The drug czar specifically referred to the growing number of Colombians who have been displaced by violence and have entered Venezuelan territory.

Correa made his remarks at the seventh meeting of the Andean Committee for Alternative Development (CADA) whose chairmanship he assumed earlier this week. CADA seeks to stem illegal crop cultivation by promoting alternative crop production programs in Andean countries. (EFE, Oct. 20 via Caracas Daily Journal)

See our last post on Colombia, and on on Venezuela.