Article

OAS Must Review Drug Policy

April 16, 2012
Prensa Libre, Guatemala

English Translation

The Organization of American States (OAS) has now been charged with the responsibility of evaluating current drug policies and other options in the fight against drug trafficking, as decided by the presidents of the continent yesterday at the end of the Summit. The Summit did not have a final declaration due to lack of consensus on issues such as Cuba and the Falkland Islands.

Calderon Considers the Summit a Success Even Without a Declaration

April 15, 2012
ABC, Spain

English Translation

The president of Mexico, Calderon considered the VI Summit of the Americas “a success” even without a final declaration because, according to him, it allowed them to "contrast ideas" and touch on topics that were not previously on the table.

Calderon congratulated the 33 presidents who attended for supporting the Mexican initiative to create an inter-American system for the fight against organized crime, as stated in one of the three statements on specific issues released at the end of the summit.

Otto Perez Calls for the Breaking of the “Taboo” and for the Analysis of Decriminalization

March 24, 2012
El Periodico, Guatemala

English Translation

The president said that with his proposal, he wanted to open a debate that would allow Central America to find alternatives, because the strategy against drug trafficking must be “regional.”

Perez Molina called for the breaking of taboos and for the analysis of drug decriminalization to confront the violence of drug trafficking, during a Central American summit marked by the absence of three of the six presidents of the region.

Perez Proposes 4 Ways to Fight Drug Trafficking

March 24, 2012
Siglo 21, Guatemala

English Translation

The summit to debate decriminalization of drugs was inaugurated at 2 pm this Saturday by President Otto Perez Molina, who called for alternatives in the fight against drug trafficking.

During his presentation, Perez Molina explained that Guatemala has put four proposals on the table for the combating of the transit of drugs: the creation of a common fund for the combating of drugs; that the US pays have of the drug seizures; the creation of a Regional Criminal Court; and decriminalization.

Assistant Secretary Brownfield Travels to Honduras and Guatemala to Discuss Anti-Crime Initiatives

March 23, 2012
La Prensa Grafica, El Salvador

English Translation

The Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, William Brownfield, will travel to Honduras and Guatemala as of next Sunday to discuss efforts to combat drug trafficking and strengthening public safety, the Department of State said today.

Santos Celebrates that the U.S. Wants to Discuss Drugs

March 9, 2012
El Tiempo, Colombia

The debate on legalization or decriminalization will be addressed at the Summit of the Americas. The Supreme Court supports it.

English Translation

President Juan Manuel Santos welcomed yesterday the decision of the U.S. to be open to “discussing” the “legalization” or drugs and announced that he will prepare a methodology to address the issue at the Summit of the Americas in April in Cartagena.

Central America Agrees to Discuss Drug Decriminalization

March 7, 2012
El Heraldo, Honduras

English Translation

Presidents of the region will meet on March 24 in Guatemala to discuss the controversial proposal on whether or not to legalize drugs, which was brought up during yesterday’s meeting with the vice-president of the United States.

As expected, the controversial Guatemalan proposal was put on the agenda during the historic 4-hour visit of the North American vice-president, which alerted the interest of all of Central America.

Latin America Wants to Talk About Drugs

February 23, 2012
El Pais, Spain

Leaders from Colombia, Brazil, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico are calling on the U.S. to regulate the trafficking of drugs for the first time.

English Translation

The Case in Favor of Legalizing Drugs

February 22, 2012
Juan Carlos Hidalgo, Latin American public policy analyst for the Cato Institute
La Nacion, Costa Rica

English Translation

Otto Perez Molina of Guatemala has become the first sitting president to propose legalizing drugs as a way of combatting drug trafficking. As such, he has opened the debate on a topic that has been widely discussed in academic circles but rarely mentioned on the political level. His proposal deserves the support of the other Latin American presidents.

A New Strategy Against Drug Trafficking is Needed

April 17, 2012

In an interview with CNN en Español, the president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, said the following:

English Translation

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