Hello!!!
I'm not sure how many of you are aware of the critical drug situation in Central America (along with Mexico and Colombia). Even though the effect of the drug war can be felt in the United Stated, with thousands of people incarcerated for possession/small-scale trafficking felonies, the situation is far worse south of the border.
Mexico alone has lost almost 50.000 of its people due to this senseless war. An increased presence of the mexican army, helped by the government of the USA, has led some cartels to expand operations across the border, in Guatemala. The effect on this country has been devastating, with an increase of violence and the spread of government corruption to the higher levels of government. Entire areas of the country are out of the government's reach.
The critical situation, and the possibility of the conflict expanding to the rest of Central America, has led the guatemalan President, Otto Pérez Molina, to suggest drug legalization as an option for the region. He, along with the other presidents of the region, are willing to debate the issue, opening up new avenues to stop this madness.
Legalizing and regulating drugs in the region will help diminish the huge earnings of the cartels, while providing a safe way for addicts and small-scale dealers to reintegrate to the society. It will allow for the very limited resources of the central american countries to be invested in prevention and treatment of addictions. Note that Central America has a combined GDP of 263.000 million US$ (PPP), which is roughly the same GDP of the US State of Arizona. But Arizona has only 6.4 million inhabitants, while Central America has 45 million!
Do you think that, with these resources, Central America will be able to win a war that the US Military, law enforcement, and Mexico's army haven't been able to win in 40 years? But knowing that, the US Administration is trying to stop debate on this issue, sending Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security to the region to insist on the drug war:
Napolitano on Latin America Tour: U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano begins a five-country tour today through Wednesday in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama. According to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) press release, Secretary Napolitano will be accompanied by Acting Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection David Aguilar and DHS Assistant Secretary for International Affairs Alan Bersin. Her visit is likely intended to reiterate support for security measures like the Central America Regional Security Initiative and reinforce counter-trafficking efforts to interdict narcotics through key transit points.
The pressure from the US Government to continue this bloodshed must stop! It is imperative that these small governments be enabled and supported in the discussion of alternatives to the growing militarization of the area.
PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION, initiated by Jeffrey Dhywood, to support the discussion of legalization in the upcoming Summit of the Americas, to be held in the Colombia's city of Cartagena.
The petition will be delivered to President and Vicepresident Pérez Molina and Roxana Baldetti (Guatemala); and Presidents Felipe Calderón (México), Juan Manuel Santos (Colombia), Ricardo Martinelli (Panamá), Porfirio Lobo (Honduras), Mauricio Funes (El Salvador), Laura Chinchilla (Costa Rica), Daniel Ortega (Nicaragua); and President Barack Obama.
This is important! Open discussion of this topic will help shape the political climate for effective policies, so we can stop this war!
Please sign here!
The original note by Jeffrey Dhywood, here.
p.s.: I apologize in advance if this topic has already been diaried. I looked and didn't find anything, and I think the topic is important enough to be considered by the DailyKos community. Thanks!
Update (6:39 p.m. CST): Changed title to emphasize that the petition is to OPEN a debate, and not to legalize right away. Serious discussion of this topic, based on science and good policy, must be initiated at the political level.
