Drug Policy Debate: El Salvador’s Funes Retreats on Drug Legalization Debate

Ah, yes, the U.S. is such a "good neighbor" and "equal partner" (Obama) with Mexico and Central American countries that we will "protect" them from even entertaining any deviation from U.S. drug prohibition policy and "convince" them of its continuing necessity, even if that policy destroys their very fragile democracies, their societies and the lives of their people.

The Pan-American Post: "Hours after expressing support for the Guatemalan president’s call for a debate on drug legalization, Salvadoran leader Mauricio Funes has beat a hasty retreat, declaring himself opposed to any such initative. ... The two presidents met on Monday, and, after the encounter, Funes told press that he was open to “promoting the discussion” of Perez’s proposal, and that it would have to be a regional initiative.

However, later on Monday night, Funes changed his position, stating that, "I am not in agreement with the depenalization of drugs; neither the production, nor the transport, nor the consumption." This hasty clarification seems likely to have been made under pressure from Washington. The US Embassy in Guatemala was quick to slap down Perez’s proposal, a response which the Guatemalan leader classed as “premature.”" read more