Pubdate: Fri, 07 Oct 2005
Source: Reuters (Wire)
Copyright: 2005 Reuters Limited
Contact: London, UK
Website: http://www.reuters.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/364

VENEZUELA: VENEZUELA, US TALK OVER DRUGS COOPERATION

Venezuela, US Talk Over Drugs Cooperation

CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuelan and U.S. officials on Friday held talks on
anti-narcotics cooperation in the first meeting since Washington classified
President Hugo Chavez's government as a failure in the war on drugs.

After discussions with the U.S. ambassador, Venezuelan Interior
Minister Jesse Chacon told reporters the governments had made progress
toward a new anti-narcotics accord, including possible sharing of U.S.
aerial surveillance data in the Caribbean.

"We are going to keep working and look at areas where we can
cooperate," Chacon said. "The United States has a capacity in the
Caribbean near Florida's coast, which we could use for more support
there."

Strained ties between Washington and Caracas deteriorated further in
August when Chavez suspended his cooperation accords with the U.S.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) after accusing its agents of
spying.

The drugs rift was the latest between Venezuela and a U.S. government
that accuses Chavez of allying with Cuban President Fidel Castro to
destabilize the region. Chavez in turn accuses Washington of plotting
to oust or kill him.

Less than a week after Chavez suspended the DEA accords, Washington
revoked the visas of three top Venezuelan military officers who it
suspected were involved in drug trafficking, including the National
Guard drugs squad chief.

The United States last month put Venezuela alongside Burma as
countries who were failing to stop drug trafficking. Caracas rejects
those charges, but says it is willing to work with the DEA as long as
its agents are restricted in Venezuela.

"It is effectively impossible to cooperate with the United States
without working with the DEA. We are talking about a new accord that
will allow the operational collaboration," U.S. Ambassador in Caracas
William Brownfield told reporters.

Ties between Venezuela and its largest oil client, the United States,
have declined steadily since Chavez came to power in 1998 promising to
champion the poor and since he has tightened relations with Communist
Cuba.

A former army officer, Chavez presents his self-proclaimed socialist
revolution as an alternative to failed capitalist policies. But
critics at home and in Washington say he has eroded democracy with an
increasingly heavy-handed style.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin