Press Release
White House Drug Czar to Bring Administration-Led Congressional Delegation to Colombia
First-Ever Visit to Medellín by a U.S. Drug Czar Highlights Historic Anti-Drug and Security Progress Made in Colombia;
Visit to Focus on Advancing Key U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Pact
(Washington, D.C.) – John Walters, Director of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and President Bush’s “Drug Czar” announced today he will bring a high-level, U.S. Congressional delegation to Bogotá and Medellín, Colombia, January 19th -20th to demonstrate to Members of Congress the remarkable security, economic and anti-drug transformation taking place in Colombia. The visit comes as the U.S. Congress is considering the Colombia Free Trade Agreement. This trip also represents the first-ever visit by a U.S. Drug Czar to Medellín – formerly the epicenter of the world’s drug trafficking business and now a booming economic and cultural center. Director Walters will be joined by Steven Preston, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration and a congressional delegation that includes: House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX-16); Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-FL-4); Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-TN-4); Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA-49); Rep. John Mica (R-FL-7); and Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN-3).
Director Walters stated, “No other nation in the world has witnessed a more dramatic improvement in their human rights situation in recent years than Colombia. President Uribe’s leadership has contributed to dramatic changes in the availability of drugs in the United States and increased security and safety for citizens in Colombia. Congress now has an opportunity to build on this success by passing a free trade agreement with Colombia that will help further stem the flow of illegal drugs into the United States by offering licit economic alternatives to those involved in drug production.”
Over the past five years, Colombia's kidnappings, terrorist attacks, and murders have all dropped substantially, convictions have increased, and Colombia has extradited hundreds of drug traffickers and terrorists to the United States. Since 2002, murder rates have declined 40 percent, kidnapping rates have plummeted by 76 percent, and murders of union members have dropped 70 percent. Additionally, President Uribe has established an independent prosecutors unit that will rigorously investigate and punish homicides against labor unionists and has allowed the International Labor Organization to station a permanent representative in Bogota to monitor progress. Recent DEA information has also indicated a sharp increase in the street price of cocaine in the United States with a 44 percent increase in the price per pure gram between Jan-Sept of 2007. Purity of cocaine has dropped by 15 percent in the same period of time.
After Canada and Mexico, Colombia is the largest export market for U.S. farm products in the hemisphere. In 2006, trade with Colombia reached $16 billion, making the nation our largest export market for U.S. agriculture products in South America. A Free Trade agreement will further open this dynamic and growing economy to American goods and services, specifically to U.S. farmers and ranchers by immediately eliminating Colombia’s duties on high quality beef, cotton, wheat, soybeans, key fruits and vegetables and many processed foods.
News media seeking interviews or more information regarding open press events should contact ONDCP Public affairs at 202-395-6618 or the U.S. Embassy’s public affairs office at (571) 315-0811.
Bogotá, D.C., January 16, 2008