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Officials in Colombia expect President Barack Obama to continue to send billions of dollars south to battle cocaine trafficking, contending that the alternative is more drugs on U.S. streets, Reuters reported Feb. 21.
The Bush administration directed more than $5 billion at Plan Colombia, which focused on aiding Colombia’s military in drug interdiction and eradication efforts. Colombian Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos called the program “the most successful bipartisan U.S. foreign policy of recent times” and expects it to continue, citing bipartisan support for Plan Colombia funding in Congress.
However, Colombian cocaine production continues to grow, and President Obama’s plans for the program are uncertain.
Published
February 2009