Colombia sees effect in curbing drug trafficking

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Colombia sees effect in curbing drug trafficking

2024-06-27 20:15 Last Updated At：20:47

Thanks to efforts by the Colombian government to crack down on drug crimes, more cocaine was seized in Colombia in the first half of this year, up 35 percent year on year.

Colombia is one of the top two producers of coca bushes in the world and has long suffered from the harm of drugs. Since Colombian President Gustavo Francisco Petro announced a new anti-drug policy last October, the country has seen progress in combating drug problems.

According to data released by the Ministry of National Defense on Sunday, from January 1 to June 20 this year, Colombia seized 395 tons of cocaine and 267 tons of marijuana. Authorities also destroyed more than 2,000 illicit drug manufacturing factories, eliminated more than two million coca trees, dismantled numerous drug-related criminal networks, and dealt severe blows to the production and financial chains of drug trafficking groups.

"Our police patrol the entire country daily and carry out accurate monitoring based on reports from the analysis departments," said Cesar Pinzon, Subdirector of the National Police Anti-Narcotics Directorate.

Curbing drug trafficking is a high-risk job. To address this problem, Colombia has improved the accuracy of combating drug trafficking through information exchange, technological development, personnel training, and international cooperation, while reducing the risks faced by military and police personnel.

Through hard work, Colombia has made great progress in combating drugs, but it also faces many challenges. The drug economy has provided funds for Colombia's anti-government armed forces, and armed confrontations still linger on. The Colombian government has stated its commitment to continue fighting drug crimes.

"We also encounter some difficulties because transitioning to a legal economy cannot be achieved overnight. For many years, communities in various parts of Columbia have lived on growing coca leaves and are now transitioning to a legal economy," said Nestor Osuna, Minister of Justice and Law.

54th OAS General Assembly held in Asuncion, with focus on regional security

2024-06-29 22:29 Last Updated At：23:07

The 54th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) was held in Asuncion, Paraguay from Wednesday to Friday, with a focus on integration and security for the sustainable regional development.

Attending the assembly were representatives from OAS member states, 74 permanent observers and some civil society organizations.

Under the theme of "Integration and Security for the Sustainable Development of the Region," the delegations expressed their pleas for peace, democracy, equality and multilateral work among countries.

Hours before the opening ceremony in Asuncion, the situation in Bolivia, a neighboring country to Paraguay, was top on the agenda.

According to the Bolivian government, Gen. Juan Jose Zuniga on Wednesday led the attempted coup in Palacio Quemado, the government palace, which is located in Murillo Square in the city of La Paz, in a failed bid to oust President Luis Arce from office.

"We do have a very deep concern about the indigenous people in Bolivia, and hopefully this coup d'etat that didn't happen, that things go smoothly," said Clement Chartier, former president of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples.

The assembly also dedicated its statements to the improvement of democracy in Haiti and also to the promotion of human rights throughout the continent. A resolution was approved for continued efforts toward the immediate restoration of security, and the strengthening of humanitarian aid in Haiti.

Haiti has long suffered serious political and social crises, especially after then President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in 2021. There are around 200 armed gangs in the country disturbing the social order. The rise of armed gangs, the surge of violence incidents and the increase of lynching cases have forced Haitians to live in humanitarian disasters in terms of safety, health care and food supplies.