The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
September 17, 2009

Morales Chides US for Drug Criticism
------------------------------------



The US is again accusing Bolivia and Venezuela of failing to curb drug
trafficking within their borders. In an annual report, the State
Department said both countries had “failed demonstrably” in the drug
fight. Bolivian President Evo Morales accused the US of hypocrisy and
politicizing the issue.

Bolivian President Evo Morales: “Instead of having the United States
certify or decertify us, why doesn’t UNASUR certify or decertify the
United States? We also want to know if there is a battle against drug
trafficking in the United States. Why don’t they break bank secrecy?
They can do that. I ask myself, why do they forbid us to buy small
planes with radars, which would allow us to fight in a more effective
way against drug trafficking?”

Recent UN figures show cocaine production in Bolivia rose just five
percent in 2007. Colombia, which has received billions in US aid, saw an
increase of 27 percent the same year.



.