US budget to benefit Colombia and the opposition in Venezuela

[bin.dare]

http://www.worldpress.org/link.cfm?http://english.pravda.ru

...
According to the proposal presented by President Bush, cuts were included in anti-drug cash for Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru while part of this money will be allocated in Colombia. The official explanation reads that the US is switching the focus of its anti-drug effort from eradication programmes, which take place on the ground, to air tracking and interception.

So, as Bolivia and Peru are mainly production areas, while Colombia is a major drugs dealing country, efforts will be focused in the latter. What the official explanation does not say is that the move will mean that 63% of the anti-drugs budget for the Andean countries will now go to Colombia where it will be managed by US forces stationed there.

Once in Colombia and in hands of US forces, it is not possible to further track the money, which could be use to train Colombia"s military. That could affect even further the balance of power in the region.

Simultaneously, the 2006 budget stipulates a boost in the US support for opposition political parties in neighbouring Venezuela. Colombia and Venezuela were "at risk of war", according to Caracas, in the last month and disputes between countries are far from over. Recently, Colombia's conservative President Alvaro Uribe failed to attend to a summit with his Venezuelan leftist counterpart, Hugo Chavez, aimed to ease a conflict triggered by the illegal capture of a Colombian rebel in Venezuela's capital.

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[HuckleB]

1. Sheesh.