HomeNewsBriefUS to Shut Down Bolivia Anti-Drug Office
BRIEF

US to Shut Down Bolivia Anti-Drug Office

BOLIVIA / 24 MAY 2013 BY MARIO CARRILLO EN

A top government official announced on May 23 that the US anti-narcotics office in Bolivia will shut down, a clear sign that the US intends to significantly scale back anti-drug aid in the Andean nation. 

William Brownfield, Assistant Secretary of the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), said that after 30 years, it was time the INL to go and that he believes no further funds for the Bolivia office would be requested for fiscal year 2015, which begins in October 2014.

"I am proud of what the INL section has accomplished," Brownfield said. "It is my intent to close down our section in a reasonable and orderly fashion." Brownfield made the remarks during a House Committee on Foreign Affairs' subcommittee hearing, focused mainly on the effects of the Merida Initiative.

The announcement comes three weeks after President Evo Morales decided to eject USAID from Bolivia for what he deemed political interference, something that the US denies.  

InSight Crime Analysis

The US anti-narcotics office in Bolivia has steadily been reducing funding for some time now, providing just $10 million in 2012, down from $15 million in 2011. The US view that Bolivia is not doing enough to combat drug trafficking has contributed to significant tension between the two countries. For five consecutive years, the US State Department's International Narcotics Control Strategy Report has described Bolivia as failing to sufficiently curb cocaine and coca production. Relations between the two countries have been rocky since Morales' expulsion of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in 2008.

Despite these tensions, the US has continued to provide some measure of support to Bolivia. Just last month, the US donated 12 aircraft to the Bolivian Air Force, meant to be used in anti-drug operations. The aircraft donation was arguably intended as a gesture of goodwill, but it will likely be short-lived after Morales' expulsion of USAID earlier this month, and now Brownfield's announcement.

Bolivia remains one of the three largest cocaine-producing countries in the world and some cities, like Santa Cruz, continue to struggle with a rising wave of insecurity brought about by organized criminal groups. 

share icon icon icon

Was this content helpful?

We want to sustain Latin America’s largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources.

DONATE

What are your thoughts? Click here to send InSight Crime your comments.

We encourage readers to copy and distribute our work for non-commercial purposes, with attribution to InSight Crime in the byline and links to the original at both the top and bottom of the article. Check the Creative Commons website for more details of how to share our work, and please send us an email if you use an article.

Tags

Was this content helpful?

We want to sustain Latin America’s largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources.

DONATE

Related Content

BOLIVIA / 10 FEB 2022

The gunning down of two Brazilian traffickers in a Bolivian border department is the latest example of spillover violence wrought…

BOLIVIA / 31 MAR 2022

A major antinarcotics operation at an aerodrome in Bolivia has drawn attention to the role of private air facilities in…

BOLIVIA / 13 AUG 2021

The US Coast Guard unloaded 27 tons of cocaine after a three-month operation in the Pacific and Caribbean, a massive…

About InSight Crime

THE ORGANIZATION

All Eyes on Ecuador

2 JUN 2023

Our coverage of organized crime in Ecuador continues to be a valuable resource for international and local news outlets. Internationally, Reuters cited our 2022 Homicide Round-Up,…

WORK WITH US

Open Position: Social Media and Engagement Strategist

27 MAY 2023

InSight Crime is looking for a Social Media and Engagement Strategist who will be focused on maintaining and improving InSight Crime’s reputation and interaction with its audiences through publishing activities…

THE ORGANIZATION

Venezuela Coverage Receives Great Reception

27 MAY 2023

Several of InSight Crime’s most recent articles about Venezuela have been well received by regional media. Our article on Venezuela’s colectivos expanding beyond their political role to control access to…

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime's Chemical Precursor Report Continues

19 MAY 2023

For the second week in a row, our investigation into the flow of precursor chemicals for the manufacture of synthetic drugs in Mexico has been cited by multiple regional media…

THE ORGANIZATION

InSight Crime’s Chemical Precursor Report Widely Cited

THE ORGANIZATION / 12 MAY 2023

We are proud to see that our recently published investigation into the supply chain of chemical precursors feeding Mexico’s synthetic drug production has been warmly received.