Beautiful Virgin Islands


The US War on Drugs isn’t what it seems – and Colombia’s new president wants to end it

The US War on Drugs isn’t what it seems – and Colombia’s new president wants to end it

Gustavo Petro promises a major blow to US hegemony over Latin America
Leftist Gustavo Petro was inaugurated as Colombia’s new president on August 7, ushering in what will likely be an unprecedented political swing for what is a perennially right-wing government. In his first address, Petro mentioned many important issues that face Colombia including climate change, poverty, education and, notably, the so-called ‘War on Drugs.’

“It’s time for a new international convention that accepts that the War on Drugs has resoundingly failed and that it has left one million Latin Americans murdered, most of them Colombians, during the last 40 years, and that kills 70,000 people in North America from overdoses annually with drugs, none of which are produced in Latin America,” he said.

Petro added that this war “has strengthened the mafias and weakened states,” while leading “states to commit crimes,” including the Colombian state. He called for a new paradigm that “allows life and doesn’t generate death” while also putting blame on the United States for having the ability to change global anti-drug policy but failing to do so.

This is a truly game-changing declaration from Petro because Colombia is far and away the most important partner in the US-led War on Drugs. Colombia rejecting the existing status quo would send a shockwave through the international community and could set up multilateral discussions on a new strategy that does not focus on a military-first response.

To note, Petro knows a thing or two about the War on Drugs given his previous connection to the now-defunct left-wing paramilitary group, M-19. This war has been noted for its deep contradictions, namely the fact that US military aid and training to Colombia has focused more on anti-communism – that is, putting down groups like M-19 – than on combating the drug trade.

The US has sent military aid to groups in Colombia, including the Colombian military, that have committed well-documented human rights abuses. The Clinton administration even waived most of the human-rights conditions normally attached to such aid, deeming it crucial to US national security. Washington also hyper-focuses attention on combating left-wing groups in Colombia while supporting right-wing groups, e.g., those that support US capital, even if they have connections to the drug trade.

As a notable example, former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, who received the US’ highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, from former US President George Bush, was identified by US intelligence as tied to the country’s drug trade. He remains a powerful player in Colombian politics and was Washington’s main conduit in the region during his tenure from 2002-2010.

On top of these contradictions that are associated with Cold War politics, Petro also correctly noted the internal contradictions of the US-led War on Drugs. The domestic policy of prohibition is not working and people are dying left and right. US life expectancy is declining due in no small part to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic; however, endemic poverty and drugs are contributing the most to the total lost life years.

The status quo isn’t working. If anything, it simply creates a feedback loop where recidivism and relapse are inevitable – all while private rehabilitation facilities and large pharmaceutical companies profit on the back end.

The inevitable outcome, as is ever the case in the United States, is the criminalization of poverty – because low household income is perhaps the most important indicator of substance abuse.

This is a particularly important point because it shows the intersection of contradictions with the War on Drugs domestically and internationally.

President Gustavo Petro’s call for a new international anti-drug paradigm is one such example.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Federal Reserve Chair Powell: "We are prohibited from owning Bitcoin and are not seeking any changes to that law."
A Democratic congresswoman with blue and black hair is having a meltdown over "President Musk."
A sizable group of unauthorized migrants is traveling through Mexico with the aim of reaching the USA before Trump assumes office.
Beatles Reunion Electrifies London: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr Ignite O2 Arena with Surprise Performance
Starmer's Envoy Engages Trump Team as UK Seeks Strategic U.S. Partnership
Britain's Retail Rebound Falters as Black Friday Splurge Dissipates
Bank of Japan's Bold Reckoning: A Decade of Unconventional Policy Under Scrutiny
Republican Discord Threatens Government Shutdown Amid Holiday Season
French Retiree Dominique Pellico Convicted for Recruiting 72 Men to Assault Wife Over a Decade
Putin Defends War Strategy as Global Tensions Rise
Putin Claims Progress as Tensions Rise: Conflict in Ukraine Intensifies
Putin's Paradox: Claiming Strength Amidst Sanctions and Isolation
Water as a Weapon: The Contentious Struggle for Survival in Gaza
Syria's Future: A Fight for Democracy or Another Cycle of Oppression?
UK Considers Sending Troops to Ukraine: A Strategic Move or Intensifying The Proxy War?
Renewed ISIS Threat Puts Syria’s Cultural Heritage in Peril
Escalation in Moscow: High-Profile Assassination and International Tensions Intensify
North Korean Troops in Ukraine: A New Cold War Frontier?
Ukraine's Bold Move: High-Stakes Assassination of Russian General in Moscow
Dubai's Technological Leap: Brain Chips and AI Board Members by 2025
Tragedy Strikes Wisconsin School as Shooting Claims Lives of Teacher and Student
UK's Calculated Gamble: Balancing Defense Aid to Ukraine and Domestic Demands
UK Intensifies Stranglehold on Russian Oil, but Does It Dampen Putin’s Resolve?
British Voter Endorsement of Reeves's Bold Tax Strategy
Nicola Sturgeon Warns of 'Toxic' Discourse: The Perils of Polarisation in Modern Politics
Levelling Down: How the Conservatives Underspent on Regional Revitalization
Alleged Chinese Espionage: The Entangled Web Beyond Prince Andrew
Starmer Navigates Diplomatic Tightrope Amid Chinese Espionage Revelations Involving Prince Andrew
Balancing Democracy and Disorder: The Trial of a Milkshake Incident
Royal Mail Enters New Chapter Under Czech Ownership
UK Companies Slash Jobs Amid Economic Strain
Kemi Badenoch Rekindles Flat Tax Debate Amid Inheritance Tax Uproar
Rewiring Whitehall: New Cabinet Secretary's Mandate for Change
Legal Battle Revives: Lucy Letby Seeks Fresh Appeal as Expert Evidence Faces Scrutiny
Accusations Fly as UK-China Relations Spark Tension Within British Politics
The Delicate Dance of Devolution: As English Council Elections Face Delays
The Alleged Chinese Spy at the Heart of British Royal Circles: Yang Tengbo Unmasked
Prince Andrew Withdraws from Royal Christmas Amidst Chinese Espionage Scandal
EU Takes Legal Action Against UK Over Allegedly Neglected Rights of EU Citizens
Disaster Strikes: Oil Spill in the Black Sea and Cyclone Devastation in Mayotte
Oil Tanker Disaster in the Kerch Strait: A Confluence of Environmental Catastrophe and Geopolitical Tensions
Olaf Scholz’s Gamble: The Collapse of Germany’s Coalition Government and the Path to Early Elections
Keir Starmer's 'Sycophantic' Tone: Tensions Rise Over UK-China Relations
Trump Recognizes Partial Advances in Ceasefire Attempts in Ukraine Conflict
UK Navigates Complex Global and Domestic Challenges Amid Security, Environmental, and Health Concerns
Tragic Loss of Fashion Visionary: Isak Andic's Enduring Legacy Beyond Mango
UK's CPTPP Gamble: A Strategic Leap Toward the Indo-Pacific
Mango Founder Isak Andic Dies in Tragic Accident
Disney’s Dangerous Power Play: How Bob Iger's Personal Agenda Could Cost His Company Billions
ABC's $15 Million Settlement: A Turning Point in Media Defamation Battles
×