Jamaica is named amongst several Caribbean countries as a focal point for drug manufacturing or trafficking in the region by United States President Joe Biden for the year 2024.
In a recent meeting at the White House, the US President listed the nations of Bahamas, Belize, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica including other international countries involved in the production and trafficking of illicit drugs.
- Advertisement -
Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela are other nations that have been mentioned.
Biden noted that the recognition of the listed countries does not indicate that the nations have performed poorly in handling the issue, “A country’s presence on the foregoing list is not necessarily a reflection of its government’s counterdrug efforts or level of cooperation with the United States.”
Additionally he noted, “Consistent with the statutory definition of a major drug transit or major illicit drug producing country set forth in sections 481(e)(2) and 481(e)(5) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (Public Law 87-195) (FAA), the reason countries are placed on the list is the combination of geographic, commercial, and economic factors that allow drugs to be transited or produced, even if a government has engaged in robust and diligent narcotics control and law enforcement measures.”
The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 expanded the definition of major drug supplier nations to include countries producing precursor chemicals with significant US impacts.
The US President noted that “a particularly difficult challenge, including for the United States and other countries with strict regulatory regimes to prevent diversion,” for countries with significant chemical and pharmaceutical industries to hinder precursor chemicals from being used to produce illicit drugs.
According to Biden, this modification in the law has led to the PRC being named as a significant source nation.
“The United States strongly urges the PRC and other chemical source countries to tighten chemical supply chains and prevent diversion,” he remarked.
According to section 706(2)(A) of the FRAA, Biden declared Venezuela, Bolivia, and Burma to have “failed demonstrably during the previous 12 months to both adhere to their obligations under the international counternarcotics agreements and to take the measures required by section 489(a)(1) of the FAA.”
In accordance with the president, this conclusion also includes the reasoning necessary to comply with section 706(2)(B) of the FRAA for the classifications of Bolivia, Burma, and Venezuela.
In compliance with the requirements of section 706(3)(A) of the FRAA, Biden has also concluded that US initiatives supporting Venezuela, Bolivia, and Burma are “vital to the national interests of the United States.”
“The vast majority of illicit drugs causing the most damage in the United States originate from beyond our borders, and our most effective means of reducing the availability of these drugs is to expand and improve our cooperation with international partners,” he shared. He continued by noting that “The political commitment of our international partners remains critical to achieving success against illicit drug threats.”
Biden stated that the United States will continue to assist continuing initiatives to lessen coca planting and cocaine manufacturing, provide access to justice, and promote other livelihoods in conjunction with important allies in South America.
He asserted that Colombia has consistently been a reliable ally in the war on drugs.
