U.S. and Venezuela unite to fight against drug trade

Clinton offers aid, information in deal to halt trafficking

CARACAS, Venezuela Striving to stem the flow of cocaine that passes
through Venezuela from Colombia to end up on U.S. streets, President
Clinton agreed Monday to help this nation crack down on drug
trafficking and money laundering.

In his first stop on his first trip to South America, Clinton tipped
his hat to a nation that provides the United States with more oil than
any other country.

He gave Venezuela a lot of warm fuzzies in English and Spanish.
``Todo está chevere en Venezuela,'' Clinton said, using slang to
indicate that everything is ``cool'' here.

Noting that he is the first foreign leader to speak from the hallowed
tomb of Simón Bolívar, the 19th century liberator of this and other
South American countries from Spanish colonial rule, Clinton praised
Venezuela for playing a key role in the ``quiet revolution'' that has
left Cuba the only dictatorship in the hemisphere. Moments earlier, he
had placed a large wreath at Bolívar's grave.

But while he flattered Venezuelans for their political and economic
progress austere measures have tamped down inflation and increased
production he said that a ``great challenge remains to make these
forces work to the benefit of all our people.''

One overriding menace, he said, is drugs. Clinton joined forces with
the Venezuelan government against what he deemed a shared enemy that
threatens the security of both countries.

Throughout the Americas, Clinton said, ``drugs threaten the very
fabric of civil society. They destroy lives. They spread violence to
our streets and playgrounds. They corrupt and kill law enforcement
officials. They create instability that can sweep across borders.''

Drugs, Clinton said during a signing ceremony with President Rafael
Caldera at the elegant Miraflores Palace, ``are our common problem,
and we must fight back together.''

Under the new Alliance Against Drugs, the two countries agreed to swap
intelligence, target criminal organizations and step up educational
programs designed to quell demand for narcotics. They also will share
customs information to prevent money laundering and smuggling. And the
United States will provide about $11.5 million to Venezuela in
antidrug training and equipment, including airplanes, boats and
communications gear.

Though drugs aren't produced in great quantity in Venezuela, the
problems remain palpable, said Gen. Barry McCaffrey, director of the
U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy. More than 100 metric
tons of cocaine passed through Venezuela last year, and about half of
it ended up in the United States, he said. Official corruption is
rampant in Venezuela, the judicial system needs overhauling, and the
country is a major center for laundering drug money, according to the
White House.

>From Venezuela, Clinton flew to Brazil, the second stop on his
weeklong visit to South America, which also includes Argentina.