MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Drugs controversy: US suspends Bolivia's special trade benefits

The White House said President George Bush has suspended special trade benefits with Bolivia because of its failure to cooperate in drug-fighting efforts.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Wednesday that Bolivia was suspended as a beneficiary country under the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) and the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA). The spokeswoman said the suspension takes effect December 15. But, Perino said the benefits can be restored if Bolivia were to improve its performance under the criteria of both programs and at the president's discretion. "President George W. Bush signed a proclamation that suspends the designation of Bolivia as a beneficiary country under the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) and the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPDEA)" said spokeswoman Dana Perino. "The suspension ... is the result of Bolivia's failure to cooperate with the United States on counter narcotics efforts, which is one criterion for ATPA and ATPDEA eligibility," Perino added in a statement. The trade preferences lowered tariffs on Andean nations that help the United States fight drugs. Three weeks ago, Bolivian President Evo Morales suspended the work of the US Drug Enforcement Administration in his country, accusing agents of spying and supporting anti-government protests. He also gave them three months to leave the country. The US government rejected the accusations as "absurd," and warned that an end to US-Bolivian cooperation would only result in increased violence and drug trafficking. In related news Venezuela and Bolivia will review their foreign debts as Ecuador did under the administration of President Rafael Correa, said Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. Ecuador plans to file at a court the case on the "spurious" debt by December 15th, as reported on Wednesday by Ricardo Patiño, the Ecuadorian Minister of Politics and chair of the commission that conducted the audit. The senior official said in Caracas, in the context of the Third Summit of the Bolivarian Alternative of the Peoples of Our America (Alba), it is possible that Ecuador will not pay the next payable coupon and will not call investors for the purposes of renegotiation.