U.S. Declares Colombia Noncooperative on Anti-Drug Efforts

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The most prominent events this week: the United States condemns Columbia combat drugsMexico announces plans for Definitions on ChinaBrazil is remembered a Rhythmic pioneer.

US President Donald Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro had a rocky relationship since Trump took office in January, where they circulated issues such as American definitions and deportation.

These tensions reached new horizons on Monday, when the Trump Bogota administration described it as in -depth in global drug control works in Washington as part of an annual review. Upon announcing the discrimination, Trump was a direct target to Petro, where he wrote that Colombia’s failure to meet its obligations in drug control “only falls with its political leadership.”

In 2023, the first full year in Petro in the office, potential cocaine production in Colombia increased by 53 percent, according to the latest United Nations data.

Petro has left loudly about the punitive models that have been described for decades of time of the US -led war on drugs. Instead, the Colombian leader prefers strategies such as providing economic alternatives to farmers to grow coca and try to negotiate the ceasefire with some trafficking groups. Petro also focuses on using intelligence to dismantle trafficking networks.

Despite the spread of Colombia, defenders of US aid scored a major victory: Washington issued a waiver so that Bogota could continue to obtain US financial support.

The removal of the waiver would lead to significant discounts in American aid in addition to the condition that Washington vote “no” on possible Colombia’s loans in multilateral development banks. The United States has not canceled the country without concession since the 1990s.

American aid to Colombia traditionally included both support for economic development and security assistance, with a total aid reached about $ 500 million annually in the past decade. The country was traditionally the largest recipient of US foreign aid in South America.

Many of this funding has already been reduced as part of Trump’s dramatic withdrawal of the American International Development Agency this year, although researchers have struggled to determine the amount of some. Even before the American decision on re -discrimination, the Washington Office in Latin America said it was unlikely to exceed US aid to Colombia in 2025 million dollars.

Keeping American assistance was to the extent that Colombian military officials and civilian officials traveled to Washington in recent days to confirm the reason for Aid’s support for Counternarcotics in the United States.

Some legislators in the United States defended aid, too, who expressed the same arguments: about 85 percent of the intelligence services used by the American Labor Squad that hits the northern drug shipments that come from Colombia, and the country trains the Countrnarcotic officials from all over the region, and also wrote about 65 percent of cocaine last year, where the United States re -restored.

The continuation of some cooperation in the United States to combat drugs contradict the recent US measures off the coast of Venezuela, where the United States has appeared to allow war defends to cancel a cooperative strategy.

This month, the US military killed multiple boat passengers with air strikes that were not authorized by congress. The Trump administration did not provide any general evidence to prove its allegations that those who were killed were drug stores.

Although Washington’s decision to declare Bogota other than communication may prove a blow to Petro’s aspirations to reform global drug policy, the legacy of Colombia in this issue is greater than Petro alone.

In 2016, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos signed a deal with the Group of Revolutionary Armed Forces in Colombia (FARC), an effort that won the Nobel Peace Prize that year. Some FARC fighters have agreed to put their arms and to be tried for crimes committed during their war against the government in a special peace court.

The court issued its first rulings to the former FARC fighters on Tuesday, followed by another ruling on the occasion of the former government soldiers on Thursday. The two groups admitted that they committed a collective kidnapping and killed civilians, respectively, and they were sentenced to travel with different types of community service. The actors in the conflict who refused the charges against them face the prison sentence.

Juanita Gubrtum, director of the Americas at Human Rights Watch, told Radio Caracol this week that the 2016 Colombia’s peace agreement is a “world model”.

Friday, September 19: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney concludes a visit to Mexico City.

Kaja Callas, President of the European Union for Foreign Policy, concludes with a visit to Brazil.

Monday, September 22: The United Nations Induits in Venezuela gives a press conference.

More trade with Europe. MERCOSUR countries announced on Tuesday that they had reached a trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), a group consisting of Iceland, Lestenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The talks have been going on since 2017.

Once the agreement is ratified by both sides, this is due to the creation of a joint market of about 300 million people. Bolivia joined Mercosur as a full member last year. However, the deal was only concluded with the original four members – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Urujuay – because Bolivia was not part of most negotiations.

Currently, EFTA countries export most of the pharmaceutical products to the MECOSUR countries, which largely send agricultural products. The commercial deal is the latest to be accelerated by American protectionism.

The convergence of Haiti. Despite the recent Trump administration’s complaints about the direction of the American Organization (OAS), the United States and members of the American Organization have united to support a proposal to enhance security in Haiti.

The UAS members calls on the United Nations to agree to expand the size and responsibilities of the Kenyan -led security mission in Haiti, from less than 1,000 to more than 5,000 people, according to the draft of the United Nations Security Council submitted by the United States and Panama this month. The UN support for the mission was set on October 2.

A draft pledges to address “weak democratic institutions, corruption, poverty and continuous social equality” without going into more details. The United Nations is expected to vote on the OAS -backed proposal by the end of September.

The rhythmic pioneer. This week, the Brazilians, the Hermeto Pascoal, a heavy betting author with a jazz music with Brazilian folk music and received praise of Miles Davis as “one of the most important musicians on this planet.” Pascoal died on Saturday at the age of 89.

The basic tools for Pascoal were flute and piano. But his books are often unconventional, such as falling water recordings and children’s toys. In records, use his hands to play savage, live pigs, and even his own beard.

Basalal’s knowledge of music from the Brazilian countryside arose from his childhood in rural areas in the northeast of the country. Although Albinism forced him to spend long periods at home, he still accommodates local voice traditions – then published it all over the world.

Mexican President Claudia Shinbom is looking at the morning briefing at the National Palace in Mexico City on August 28.Hector Vivas/Getty Images

Last week, the Minister of Economy in Mexico announced 50 percent plans for drivers on cars and auto parts from countries that do not have the Mexico Free Trade Agreement. The drawings will be an overwhelming majority on China, which is the best auto supplier in Mexico. China exports more cars to Mexico more than any other country in the world.

President Claudia Shinbom has described this measure as an industrial policy aimed at strengthening the auto industry in Mexico, and it is one of the largest sectors in its economy. But the Trump administration also urged Mexico to take this step. In February, US Treasury Secretary, Scott Beesen, praised the idea of ​​creating a “North American Castle” to preserve Chinese goods.

Beijing pushed back after announcing the Mexico tariff, saying it was “coercive to restrict China.” “This step was not imagined as part of the negotiations with the United States.”

Although Trump was martyred with the approval of the United States, Mexico and Cananga agreement in decisions to exempt some Mexican and Canadian products from its global definition, the deal is scheduled to re -evaluate in the coming months as part of the scheduled review mechanism.

By announcing it, Mexico appears to be betting on the economic integration of North America while trying to diversify its trade relations. Mexico concluded a trade deal with the European Union in January and was taking place with Brazil about strengthening relations.

The new definitions of Kenbaum Trump can weaken, but it may also bring new costs to Mexico. Mexican car factories depend on Chinese components. “Not a small thing to change this supply chain,” RECAMPO narrated from the Mexican Institute of Competitiveness Deutsche Welly.