Stabilizing Colombia

OPINION:

Plan Colombia, a multibillion-dollar program to assist Colombia’s fight against narcotics trafficking, needs fundamental changes to increase its efficacy. As Congress hashes out the program’s structure and budget this fall, Democrats seeking to ensure taxpayer dollars are used responsibly run the risk of hampering Bogota’s efforts by denying the government critically needed funds and crucial funds and a U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement.

Plan Colombia, conceived and approved during the Clinton administration, has received more than $5 billion over six years. It was initially marketed as a means to dramatically reduce coca production and its northward flow. However, half a decade later, Colombia’s coca market remains robust, with the volume of hectares used for coca cultivation only minimally reduced, seemingly due to the current ineffective and potentially hazardous aerial spraying system for eradicating coca. Legislators should continue investigating the feasibility of alternative methods of eradication without undermining the program’s basic infrastructure that has managed to keep coca production from expanding exponentially.

While Democrats are rightly skeptical of parceling out additional funding before the needed plan overhaul, Sen. Patrick Leahy’s April decision to indefinitely deny $55 million previously allocated for Colombia’s counternarcotics effort places a retroactive roadblock and stymies diplomatic efforts for improving Plan Colombia.

Mr. Leahy’s obstinance undermines the laudable changes that he and Capitol Hill Republicans are crafting —with the blessing of high-level Colombian authorities — to address Colombia’s narcotics problem. The proposals would increase funding for programs which provide coca farmers and others involved in narcotics production with training and incentives to develop alternative crops and participate in lawful industries. They would also increase funding to prosecute cases of human-rights violations and money laundering. Ironically, Democrats who believe the problem can be addressed through economic development have stalled a Colombian free-trade agreement that would inject a needed boost to this Third World economy. Such behavior constitutes diplomatic doublespeak.

While Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has proven himself a vigorous advocate for narcotic eradication who has made overseen major improvements to the economic and political stability of his nation (particularly when compared to predecessors), there is undoubtedly much room for improvement. Congress must continue its trajectory for improving Plan Colombia and approve the Colombia free trade agreement.