Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend a presentation by the Vice President of Colombia, Francisco Santos Calderon, regarding a documentary titled “Sniffing the Forest,” which focuses on cocaine production in the country. I must say, it left a strong impression on me as I observed the use of cement, chemicals, and gasoline in the production of coca paste, as well as the destruction and environmental contamination caused by coca cultivation and cocaine production. I must confess, I was unaware that Colombia has the highest biodiversity per square kilometer, or that anti-personnel mines used by the narco-guerrilla have claimed over 30 lives. In summary, it’s an incredibly interesting documentary. I find it significant and commendable that the Vice President of Colombia, who was once kidnapped by Pablo Escobar, has taken such an active stance in spreading awareness about the cocaine crisis. To this end, the Uribe government has launched a program called “Shared Responsibility,” aimed at alerting and informing consumers in marketplaces about the realities behind cocaine. One of Santos Calderon’s most compelling arguments was highlighting the hypocrisy of those in Europe who express concerns about the environment, recycling, climate change, etc., while also consuming cocaine, the production of which increases crime rates, forces millions of families to displace, causes thousands of deaths, and negatively impacts the environment, thereby contributing, as Santos states, to climate change.
However, the main purpose of my visit was to confront Vice President Santos about his government’s position regarding, first, the fact that Venezuela has become a gateway for most of the cocaine produced in Colombia, and, second, Colombia’s stance towards the support and collusion of the regime of Hugo Chavez with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Unfortunately, for the credibility of the admirable efforts that the Uribe administration has made so far in combating narco-guerrillas, Mr. Santos, after laughing at my uncomfortable question, which stirred some unrest in the audience, stated that he could not answer, except to mention that his government is seeking to re-establish dialogue through diplomatic channels with the Chavez regime. In a later conversation, I pointed out to Mr. Santos that my intention was merely a reflection of what many Venezuelans think, as it is well known that Colombia possesses a considerable amount of evidence indicating that Chavez’s connections with the FARC go far beyond simple meetings in Miraflores. Therefore, it seems hypocritical to assert that Colombia is fighting the FARC on all possible fronts when it is equally evident that nothing is being done about those who support, finance, and protect the FARC.
In response to a question, Santos Calderon mentioned that ultimately, the responsibility of combating organized crime and narco-terrorism lies with each country in the region, which I completely agree with. Nevertheless, if Colombia does not dare, due to political or commercial reasons, to confront Chavez with all the accumulated evidence in recent years, at the very least it should share with the world the information it holds about Chavez and the FARC. If the goal is shared responsibility, creating awareness, and the effort is sincere, that is the least Colombia could do—for the peace and well-being of its citizens and the world.