IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1483 

Regarding the recent decision by the President to declare Venezuela and 

Bolivia as nations that have ‘‘failed demonstrably’’ to meet their international commitments to combat the production and trafficking of illicit 

drugs. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 

Mr. BURTON of Indiana (for himself and Mr. ENGEL) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Regarding the recent decision by the President to declare 

Venezuela and Bolivia as nations that have ‘‘failed demonstrably’’ to meet their international commitments to 

combat the production and trafficking of illicit drugs. 

Whereas the United States is strongly committed to working 

with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that 

have a shared interest in promoting regional stability; 

Whereas the United States is strongly committed to working 

with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that 

are combating the scourge of drugs and the violence and 

social degradation caused by narcotics trafficking; 

Whereas according to the United States Annual Report on 

the Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries for Fiscal 


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•HRES 1483 IH 

Year 2008, Venezuela and Bolivia, ‘‘failed demonstrably 

during the previous 12 months to adhere to their obligations under international counternarcotics agreements’’; 

Whereas earlier this year, a mob of more than 10,000 

marched to the gates of the United States Embassy in 

La Paz; 

Whereas United States Agency for International Development 

workers in the coca producing Chapare region of Bolivia 

were threatened expulsion by cocalero syndicates endorsed by the Bolivian Government, and subsequently 

withdrew; 

Whereas the United States was forced to withdraw Drug Enforcement Administration agents from the Chapare region of Bolivia; 

Whereas the United States as a precautionary measure is 

withdrawing all Peace Corps volunteers from Bolivia for 

security concerns; 

Whereas Bolivia experienced a 14 percent increase in land 

used for coca cultivation in 2007 increasing the potential 

cocaine yield from 115 to as much as 175 metric tons (as 

estimated by the Drug Enforcement Administration); 

Whereas, according to United States Assistant Secretary of 

State David Johnson’s statement to the press on August 

12, 2008, increased Bolivian drug cultivation is causing 

an escalation of drugs flowing into Brazil and Europe; 

Whereas Venezuela has complicated efforts by the United 

States to assist in the fight against drugs by denying 

entry visas for Drug Enforcement Administration agents; 

Whereas more than 250 metric tons of cocaine transit 

through Venezuela every year; 


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•HRES 1483 IH 

Whereas in 2007, 17 percent of the documented cocaine flow 

from South America went through Venezuela, a five-fold 

increase from the 51 metric tons estimated to have 

flowed through Venezuela in 2002; and 

Whereas the recent expulsion of United States ambassadors 

from Venezuela and Bolivia was both provocative and unjustified and hinders counternarcotics cooperation between the United States and these countries: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) the House of Representatives— 

3 (A) expresses its outrage over the expul4 sions of United States Ambassador to Ven5 ezuela Patrick Duddy and the United States 

6 Ambassador to Bolivia Philip Goldberg, two 

7 first-rate career diplomats; 

8 (B) strongly condemns the actions and in9 actions of the Government of the Bolivarian Re10 public of Venezuela and the Republic of Bolivia 

11 in ‘‘failing demonstrably during the previous 12 

12 months to adhere to their obligations under 

13 international counternarcotics agreements’’; 

14 (C) calls on the Government of the 

15 Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Re16 public of Bolivia to support alternative develop17 ment efforts that help coca farmers shift away 

18 from illicit crop production; and 


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•HRES 1483 IH 

1 (D) calls on the Governments of the 

2 Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Re3 public of Bolivia to resume full counternarcotics 

4 cooperation with the United States in the inter5 est of stability and prosperity for the people of 

6 Venezuela and Bolivia, without delay; and 

7 (2) it is the sense of the House of Representa8 tives that— 

9 (A) it should continue to be the policy of 

10 the United States to work with all countries in 

11 the Andean region to combat trafficking in nar12 cotics and other controlled substances; and 

13 (B) steps should be taken to restore full 

14 cooperation between Venezuela, Bolivia, and the 

15 United States Drug Enforcement Administra16 tion. 

Æ 


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