Over 3 years have passed since the United States agreed to increased aid to Colombia to help disrupt drug-related activities in that country. The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), located within the Executive Office of the President, is responsible for developing the U.S. national drug control strategy and related components, including the Andean Strategy. Various U.S. agencies are involved in the strategy's implementation and management of countermarcotics programs. The agencies responsible for implementing counternarcotics programs in Colombia include the Departments of State and Defense, the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Primary Colombian recipients of U.S. aid include law enforcement, military organizations, and various civilian agencies involved in planning and implementing counternarcotics programs.

An important component of the national drug control strategy is the
Andean Strategy, which is aimed at improving the capabilities of the
Andean countries of Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru to disrupt
drug-trafficking activities. It places special emphasis on Colombia because
it is the leading source country, processing about 80 percent of the cocaine
worldwide. Two cartels, the Medellin and Cali cartels, are located in
Colombia and are responsible for most of the drug trafficking.

In August 1989, President Bush approved the Andean Strategy, which increased levels of law enforcement, military, and economic assistance from the United States to strengthen the counternarcotics efforts of the Andean governments. The strategy's objectives in Colombia are to:

Strengthen the political commitment and institutional capability of the government to take the steps necessary to disrupt drug-trafficking activities and organizations.

Increase the effectiveness of law enforcement and security activities
against drug-trafficking activities, particularly in remote and inaccessible
areas in which these activities occur.

Inflict significant damage on the trafficking organizations by disrupting
operations, including focusing on trafficking leaders and their key
lieutenants, and taking actions such as impeding the transfer of
drug-generated funds, and seizing and forfeiting drug assets within the
United States and other countries.

Strengthen and diversify the legitimate economy to enable the country to
overcome the destabilizing effects of illegal drugs as a major source of
income.

Introduction

In February 1990, the presidents of the United States, Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru signed the Cartagena Accords and agreed to implement comprehensive and intensified counternarcotics programs. The United States also agreed to introduce legislation to enhance trade initiatives.

In April 1990, the United States approved the first set of annual plans for implementing the strategy in Colombia. These plans detail the types of programs and assistance that the United States will provide to meet U.S. counternarcotics objectives.

Data provided by the executive branch indicates that between fiscal years
1990 and 1992, the United States agreed to provide Colombia with about
$504.3 million worth of military and law enforcement assistance,
guaranteed loans from the Export-Import Bank, and economic aid.
Appendix I provides information on this aid.

Attacking
Drug-Related
Activities Is Complex

U.S. Agencies
Involved in
Administering
Counternarcotics
Programs

Efforts to disrupt drug-trafficking organizations in Colombia are complex because of the way drug cartels are structured. They are integrated both vertically and horizontally and their activities encompass all aspects of drug trafficking, including such activities as production, transportation, distribution, and seizing profits.

The Andean Strategy envisions a comprehensive attempt to disrupt all aspects of the drug pipeline. Thus, it requires a variety of programs and activities from seizing and destroying raw materials and chemicals needed to produce cocaine; seizing and destroying assets such as labs, airplanes, cocaine, and the profits associated with the activities; and arresting and prosecuting high-level personnel in the drug cartels. Furthermore, to effectively combat illegal drug activities requires the commitment of many countries that are involved in the production and shipment of cocaine from Colombia as well as countries that use the illegal drugs.

The ONDCP is responsible for developing all components of the U.S. national drug control strategy and coordinating the funding of the federal agencies implementing the strategy. However, it does not manage the programs themselves. The primary U.S. agencies responsible for managing U.S. counternarcotics programs for Colombia include the Departments of State and Defense, AID, and the DEA.

Introduction

Department of State

In the State Department, the Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics Matters (INM) is responsible for formulating and implementing the international narcotics control policy and for coordinating the narcotics control activities of all U.S. agencies overseas. The Assistant Secretary also manages the International Narcotics Control Program, authorized by section 481 of the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA) of 1961, as amended, which provides aid to law enforcement agencies involved in antidrug activities. In addition the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs manages the Foreign Military Financing Program (FMFP), and the Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs is responsible for ensuring that U.S. human rights policies are implemented.

The Narcotics Affairs Section (NAS) in the U.S. Embassy in Bogota, Colombia, manages the International Narcotics Control Program. The section's mission is to provide equipment and training, operational support, technical assistance, and coordination to Colombian agencies involved in counternarcotics. At the time of our visit, the NAS had 40 U.S. and foreign national personnel, including contractor personnel to administer counternarcotics aid projects for Colombia's law enforcement agencies and other agencies.

Between fiscal years 1990 and 1992, the section administered over
$63 million in aid authorized under section 481, primarily to train and
equip various law enforcement and civilian agencies.

Department of Defense

In the Defense Department, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Democracy and Peacekeeping and the Director of the Defense Security Assistance Agency (DSAA) are primarily responsible for planning, implementing, and providing equipment and training to Colombia's military and law enforcement agencies. Between fiscal years 1990 and 1992, it provided almost $334 million worth of equipment and training through FMFP; emergency drawdown assistance authorized under section 506 (a)(2) of the FAA of 1961, as amended; excess defense articles authorized under section 517 of the FAA of 1961, as amended; guaranteed loans approved by the Export-Import Bank; and other funding sources.

The U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) in Panama is the Defense Department's principal liaison with Colombia for coordinating the administration of counternarcotics aid. At the time of our review, two military officers at the Command's Deputy Directorate for Narcotics were