Pubdate: Sat, 03 Mar 2007
Source: Ft. Worth Star-Telegram (TX)
Copyright: 2007 Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas
Contact:  http://www.star-telegram.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/162
Author: Christopher Toothaker, Associated Press

CARACAS LIKENS DEA TO CARTEL

CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuela accused U.S. anti-drug agents Friday of
collaborating with traffickers and rejected Washington's allegations
that rampant corruption, a weak judicial system and lack of
international counternarcotics cooperation has allowed illegal drug
smuggling to thrive in the South American country.

Justice Minister Pedro Carreno accused the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration of forging ties with drug traffickers before President
Hugo Chavez suspended cooperation with the agency in 2005.

"A large quantity of drug shipments left the country through that
organization," Carreno said a day after the State Department
criticized Venezuela in its annual report on trafficking. "We were in
the presence of a new drug cartel."

Officials at the U.S. Embassy were not immediately available for
comment Friday.

President Bush has proposed ending $2.2 million in drug-fighting money
for Venezuela, U.S. Embassy spokesman Brian Penn has said.

Careno said Chavez's administration "has always been strongly
committed" to making sure that "Venezuela is not used as a bridge for
drug trafficking." 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Steve Heath