COLOMBIA
Mauricio Guzman, Mayor of Cali', close to President Samper, is involved in the biggest narco-scandal of the country. He has been accused of illicit enrichment; the money for his mayoral campaign is supposed to come from the Cali' cartel. During the last three years the name of the mayor has always been present in the investigations, but only last month 15 checks - for a total of 300 million pesos - linked to Guzman have been found.
(EL PAIS, 28/08)
SWITZERLAND
The Governmental Regional Conference of North of Switzerland has expressed a negative opinion on the initiative called "Jugend ohne drogen" (Youth without drugs), for the innumerable problems that it has created to the Cantons. The Conference considers the initiative lacking clarity and out of any possible reality. The classification of substances itself is unclear. The interruption of the project will involve 2,000 people that benefit from the distribution of syringes and methadone.
(NEUE ZUERCHER ZIETUNG, 20/08)
AUSTRALIA
The Australian government, lead by the conservative Mr. Howard, has refused the project of the Australian Capital Territory for the controlled distribution of drugs to drug-addicts. A similar experiment was made in Camberra. The problems are linked to the fact that Australia is directly involved in the production and trade of drugs.
(NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG, 22/08)
COSTA RICA
The United States is looking to cooperate with Central-American countries, crossways of the 500,000 kilos cocaine trade to the US. Ms. Laura Conchilla, Minister of Security, has said that last week, in a meeting between ministers of the various countries, a common strategy has been defined. There are major differences regarding extradition, the US favors it, while the other countries may have constitutional problems on the matter.
(EL PAIS, 20/08)
AFGHANISTAN
Mawlawi Abdurrahm Hotaki, Minister of Information and Culture, has stated that it is not possible to strengthen the prohibition of cultivation of opium and hashish without the help of other nations. "We cannot ask farmers to destroy their crop, without giving them anything in return" he recently said.
(INT'L HERALD TRIBUNE 21/08)
US
A version of active principle of cannabis has been isolated in the brain of a mouse by some researchers in San Diego. The 2-AG - produced by the brain, present in mice and human beings - is active in the formation of dreams. It attaches itself to the nervous receptors of the active principles of cannabis. It is clear that cannabis can also have good effects.
(EL PAIS, 21/08)
SPAIN
An increasing activity against street dealing by the police has initiated a debate on how to face the drug-problem. The political parties of the opposition and NGOs are against this decision, because it impedes drug-addicts to get their dose and ask for a bill recognizing the priority of sanitary assistance.
(CAMBIO 16, 18/08)
THE NETHERLANDS
Mr. Hans Visser, a Protestant pastor, has declared that starting from this Fall, he will start to distribute free heroin to a group of addicts. The pastor, known for his struggle in favor of the liberalization of drugs, hopes that in this way the Government will draft a bill on the matter.
(EL PAIS, 21/08)
ITALY
An undercover reporter of the newspaper "Il Giornale" has wandered around the Romagna "Riviera" pretending to be an exctasy consumer. He has discovered that buying pills is the easiest possible thing. The police said that due to a lack of agents they cannot act in the same way.
(IL GIORNALE 25-26/08)
SPAIN
Habitually getting drunk or using drugs will exclude from the army. This is what is proposed in a bill drafted by the Ministry of Defense. "Habitually" will mean at least three times every two years.
(EL PAIS, 24/08)
BURMA
Burma: the Narco-Dictatorship, is the explicit title of a reportage on the country in which the violent military regime, is very soft against the drug-trafficking. Many imported goods - particularly Chinese weapons - are paid with drug-money.
(L'EXPRESS, 21/08)
THE NETHERLANDS
Some 3,000 people from all over Europe visit Amsterdam's coffee-shops every weekend to buy drugs without breaking the law. The majority are Belgians, Germans and French, The price goes from $4 to $15 for a gram.
(THE EUROPEAN, 03/08)
US
George Soros has recently pledged $1,000,000 to drug-related issues. "The policy of this country on the matter is nonsense, let's change it!". For the next five years Mr. Soros has decided to give $15,000,000 to foundations involved in the field, while other $25,000,000 will go to prevention and rehabilitation and $8,000,000 to juvenile criminality in general.
(LA STAMPA, 26/08)
WORLD
Where are all the 007 from Eastern Europe? What about KGB? Since the end of the Cold War, at least 150,000 of them are now unemployed. Recently some of them are back to work, there has been a conversion, from secret agents to computer pirates, drug-traffickers (in the US) or radioactive material smugglers (mainly to Muslim countries). In his recent book "Tomorrow belongs to us", due next year, Larry Collins denounce the new role of the old communists.
(IL MESSAGGERO, 25/08)
MALAYSIA
Visiting Kuala Lampur, British Foreign Minister Mr. Robin Cook has promised that the UK, following the example of the US, will have an "Anti-drug Czar" that will coordinate the various agencies' activities. Mr. Cook has also called for a renewed collaboration between the UK and South East Asia on the "war on drugs". The British Minister has been criticized for his "Western attitude" towards human rights.
(FINANCIAL TIMES, THE TIMES 29/08)
THE NETHERLANDS
Tensions among the three-party coalition that supports the Government. The Parliament has criticized the Government's decision of accusing former Suriname dictator of cocaine trafficking. The interrogation of two ministers was interrupted in May, during the Dutch Presidency of the European Union, right before the political elections.
(FINANCIAL TIMES, 28/08)
ITALY
Modena - Foreign drug dealers and some drug addicts have been violently harassed by residents of a neighborhood known to be a heroin marketplace. Only the intervention of the Police has prevented a bigger riot.
(CORRIERE DELLA SERA, 30/08, LA REPUBBLICA, LA STAMPA 31/08)
GREAT BRITAIN
The charity group The Police Foundation has produced a study on the problem of drugs and its prevention. The research - realized with the aim of opening a public debate - foresees the possibility of legalizing some substances. The proposal has been promptly opposed by the Chairman of the House of Commons who declared:"This Government will not legalize drugs".
(FINANCIAL TIMES 25/08, NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG, THE TIMES 26-29/08)
MEXICO
In order to face the drug problem, the Mexican Government has mobilized the army and the police. Narcos have sworn revenge. They have also threatened the life of White House consultant for drugs, Mr. Barry MacCaffry. Mr. Silvestre Reye, a Representative from Texas and former official of the anti-drug corps, has said that the Mexican drug-czars are recruiting American soldier to cover their trafficking.
(THE TIMES 24/08)
MEXICO
Sonora State- The region has become a major passage for the cocaine coming from Bolivia, Peru and Colombia directed to the US. On mules' backs, the drugs go north, the money goes south. In Mexico the money is laundered and used to buy real estate and corrupt the local politicians.
(EL PAIS 28/08)
US
Mr. Dan Langren, General Prosecutor of California, a strong opponent of 1996 proposition 215, has changed his position. Mr. Langren, a probable candidate for next Gubernatorial elections, remains against medical marijuana, but recognizes that "Californians need a definitive study on the matter, to know if the medical use really works".
(EL PAIS, 28/08)
SWITZERLAND
Many political parties expressed their position on the initiative "Youth without Drugs". Representatives of the CVP (Christian-Popular Party) and the Greens oppose it; SVP (Swiss Popular Party) and the Liberal Party favors the initiative. Young liberals did not join the official party's position on the matter.
(NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG 25/08-01/09)
SWITZERLAND
In the French part of the Confederation the police is usually tough on drugs, however there differences among Cantons: Vaud, Vallese and Neufchatel oppose a liberal attitude, while Friburg and Geneva are opener.
(NEUE ZUERCHER ZEITUNG 02/09)
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