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Plan Colombia: Cashing in on the Drug War Failure

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Although most Americans probably know very little about Colombia, this country receives the most US "aid" after Israel and Egypt. Why? That's precisely the question this documentary attempts to answer.

Under president Clinton, Plan Colombia was created as part of the "War on Drugs." There are two main parts to this policy:

1) Spraying large fields of Coca (the plant from which cocaine is produced) with highly toxic pesticides.

2) Sending millions of dollars in aid (money, soldiers and weaponry) to the right-wing government and its military to assist in fighting the FARC, a left-wing guerrilla group involved in drug trafficking.

However, this program has had no effect in reducing cocaine production (in Colombia) or consumption (in the US) because:

1) Poor peasants who produce Coca continue to do so because it is the source of their livelihood (although at this level of production they are not exactly getting rich off of it). If they could grow bananas, for example, instead of Coca, and make money, they would. But, there is not the same market for bananas as for Coca.

2) It is incredibly difficult to eradicate the Coca plant because it is very resistant, like weeds. So, although the toxic pesticides we are using are causing environmental destruction and are possibly endangering the health of Colombians, we are unable to destroy all the Coca crops.

3) The only way to reduce drug trafficking is by eliminating the demand (remember the good old law of supply and demand?). Reducing the supply through these methods only makes the demand increase, which pushes up the price and makes people willing to take even greater risks to produce and sell cocaine. Although study after study has shown that domestic drug treatment programs are more effective in combating drug abuse, in the US we continue to spend very little on these programs while spending "billions" on trying to reduce the supply.

4) The Colombian government, its military and paramilitary (the paramilitary "claim" to have no connection to the government, but everyone knows otherwise) are also involved in drug trafficking. Thus, we are essentially sending money directly to drug traffickers.

Faced with these failures, why do we continue with this program? Why did the US, under Bush, actually increase funding to Plan Colombia? The documentary gives the following answers.

1) After the Middle East, most of the oil that comes into the US comes from this region (Venezuela and Colombia). The US wants to ensure that a strong right-wing regime that is friendly to US corporate interests remains in power indefinitely. That way we have secure access to their oil. This situation has become particularly pressing now that Venezuela, the biggest oil producer in Latin America, has a "socialist" and "anti-American" president (Hugo Chávez) in power who has made it clear that he does not want to take orders from the US; although he continues to sell us a large supply of oil. In short, we are in Colombia to secure the right-wing regime and crush the leftist guerillas (the FARC).

2) Plan Colombia is a form of corporate welfare for companies belonging to the "military industrial complex." Big corporations, that are also big campaign contributors, are making a lot of money by selling their pesticides, helicopters, guns, and even their soldiers (like in Iraq we are sending "private contractors" to fight the FARC) to the US government, which in turn sends the soldiers and equipment to Colombia.

In addition to the program's huge cost to the American taxpayer, its failure to reduce drug trafficking and consumption, and its aiding drug traffickers, the documentary argues that this program has essentially implicated the US in terrible human rights violations. The paramilitaries have committed all sorts of abuses, not only against the FARC but also against the civilian population in Colombia. Through illegal kidnapping, torture and murder the paramilitaries have been able to intimidate the rural population. They want to create an environment in which people are afraid of challenging the right-wing government. Not only have international human rights groups deplored the actions of the (US supported) Colombian paramilitaries, but it is causing a internal refugee crisis, as poor peasants are flocking to the cities out fear of the paramilitary.

Although the documentary makes it clear that the FARC has had its hand in drug trafficking and human rights abuses, since we are not funding the FARC, this is not "our" responsibility. The question this documentary poses is: Should we continue spending billions of US tax dollars to fund the paramilitary (which commits terrible human rights abuses) to secure the Colombian oil supply and provide corporate welfare to the defense industries, and should we continue destroying the environment to make sure there is a market for Monsantos's toxic pesticides?

I highly recommend this documentary to anyone interested in a better understanding what's going on in Colombia. The producers are independent filmmakers (Gerard Ungerman & Audrey Brohy) who produce well-researched and engaging documentaries. I also recommend their "Hidden Wars of Desert Storm" (about the Gulf War) and "Peru: Between the Hammer & the Anvil" (about the war between the Peruvian government and Sendero Luminoso). Their most recent documentary, which I have not yet seen is "The Oil Factor: Behind the War on Terror."

then this will really get you upset too! The US is spraying poor Colombian farmers and Amazonian lands with herbicides. They put all this money into destroying the plants, rather than putting American citizens into rehab programs. The U.S. looks the other way as paramilitary groups kill civilians. The U.S. care more about Colombian oil than the people. Afro-Colombians are especially targeted. It was great seeing progressive American leaders like Janice Schakowsky and John Conyers being interviewed. I almost cried hearing the late Senator Wellstone speak. This is a documentary that progressives and Latinos/as must see. Foreigners who resent American policy may particularly enjoy this work. This documentary gives you the option of hearing it in English or Spanish. This was a powerful, eye-opening work!

The documentary provides you with a glimpse on who's pulling the strings in Colombia and why. I consider myself as an "international person" who has been raised and educated in Europe, studied in the US, currently studies under a Colombian language teacher and is based in Oceania now. Growing up on the "good old continent" you do not learn a lot about political development,occurings and present groups and power structures in Latin America, partly because Europeans have to cover a lot of their own endless wars that took place during the last 1000 years, partly because the overall political situation in Latin America is not that transparent and obvious in general. This documentation not only reveals the dynamics of - to an European - confusing political structures, such as the military,paramilitaries and guerillias,who they are and what they want (political goals), it also leaves you shaking your head about the international communities that allow that "pseudo interventions" (first feed the "enemy",then oficially fight "the country's politics" under false pretenses(drugs),so basically you get what you want (oil) and do not need to bother about the "victims": innocent civilians). It's sad yet still amazing that all of this can still take place in the 21th century where the international focus (on many sides) seems to be to fight for morality while at the same time abuse this term to neglet the fundamental meaning of this word and the ethnics behind it.

But you are not left with a burdening feeling of desperate anger, victimized and unable to do nothing. there are several online resources you can check out.

And finally,buying this DVD means also supporting the filmakers who do care enough to investigate, interview various experts and officials to provide you with a detailed picture that not only includes politics but also treats the devestating effects the spraying has on the Colombian ecosystem and it's people.

I recommend this DVD for personal political education and discernment.

It`s a partial outdated version of the reality. It tried to look real, honest and actual by having several interviews, but those interviews only shows one part of the reality. The people selected to be presented were carefully selected to show only one part of the history. They did not interviewed anyone from the government, nor people that received benefits from the program, or simply, common people in Colombia that has a better perception of the country, that feels safer because of the Plan. They are a lot more than those presented in this video. Plan Colombia has several faces, not all of them are good, but one reality is that my country is a lot better now, than it was before it. Other interested parts of Plan Colombia aren`t well explained such us where the money relly goes....

This documentary interviews various politicians, policy wonks and even a few regular folks to explain why Plan Colombia has been a failure. In fact, it has not only failed to eradicate the coca plant but has actually made life worse for many innocent Colombians, including those made ill by the irresponsible dropping of dangerous pesticides on farm land. The doc also correctly points out that the profit margain is so great that it only takes common sense to realize that poor campesinos are going to continue to grow coca leafs as long as there is a ready market for cocaine in the United States and other countries.

The film makers do go a little too easy on the FARC guerillas, who are involved big time in narco-trafficking and have left this beautiful nation, which I have visited twice, in an ongoing civil war with no end in sight. But still the film's major points about the failures of Plan Colombia are on the mark and will help to educate the public on this issue.

For the most part this documentary got it right. The US government has no business going into the wilds of South America and destroying the fields of the peasantry. The problem with drug usage is our own and we should solve it without impoverishing those who--in the best of circumstances--barely get by. Sadly though, I do not have a solution to the drug war conundrum. Of course, I believe that we should decriminalize marijuana but do not see any benefit from decriminalizing cocaine and heroin. I'd like to see the government take a less vigorous approach with drug usage, however, as, in my mind, there's no reason to lockup users. That being said, the narration is totally biased and left-wing in its presentation. The flattering perspective on the nefarious FARC organization was appalling. They, just as with the paramilitary groups, are deeply involved in the drug trade. Given the evidence, saying otherwise is a lie. That disappointed me and caused me to give this film a lower rating than I normally would have.

Unfortunately the situation is not simplistic. For one thing it is a bit overreaching to say The Clinton Administration was looking for a puppet right wing government when he is attacked from the left as being a socialist. While no doubt there are some downsides to Plan Colombia the country has pushed FARC, hardly a bunch of "do gooders" into the jungles and isolated rural areas. The average Colombian enjoys greater security and the economy is growing faster than growth countries such as China and Brazil up until the recent global recession. The average standard of living has improved. What I have found there is a vibrant democracy although with some problems where debate rages and people feel free to support Green Candidates (Mockus) to more conservative candidates who vow to not rest until FARC is eliminated. At much risk to personal safety the Colombian Government killed the leaders of the Drug Cartels .To be sure there are plenty of drugs there but the business of selling and manufacturing drugs is not run by cartels the size of multinational companies which has the effect of minimizing influence over the government.Small or medium sized drug rings dont buy the latest military technology to run their business nor are they as inclined to take on a well trained military or police force in coordinated bold attacks as happened before. A city like Medellin which many assumed could not survive without the largesse of the drug lords, is now thriving largely due to its progressive hippyish mayor who is intent on providing enhanced education for residents. It is hardly a monolithic right wing banana republic.It is a modern state grappling with some serious issues. There is a value to having an ally in South America sandwiched between two Castro style regimes that produce oil. The ability to engage in open democratic debate and choose from among candidates without the imtimidation of drug lords or guerrillas is a positive by product of the Plan Colombia. Colombia produces flowers, coffee, textiles and other goods and services not just drugs. It is vibrant with arts, music and literature and all forms of creative expression, hardly hallmarks of a dictatorship or vassal state. Going there as a tourist to places like Cartagena or Santa Marta or to cities such as Bogota or Medellin one realizes there is a strong bohemian culture and I felt more secure to see a strong police presence. I did not feel they were there to keep me in line but rather to protect and create a sense of security. Again there are parallels to Israel where you know that without such presence you would feel less safe.
I do agree that without demand, which is viewed as a curse to Colombia there neednt be any supply. I tend to lean to the progressive side but this is hardly as simplistic as supporting the Contras in Nicaragua. Like Israel it is a country that needs to stress security and fight terrorism to allow democracy to prosper and lively debate to take place. Without US Aid I venture to say not as much of this would have taken place. As an earlier reviewer said it would be an entertaining film for someone that had a blank slate with no basis for questioning facts. I would have loved to see a nuanced view but documentary filmakers rarely pull that off

If you knew nothing about Colombia, I'm sure you found this documentary great. HOWEVER, if you know the very complicated political history in Colombia, you'll realize there are no "good guys." With the exception of American forces, every political organization in Colombia has committed horrible human rights violations! Liberals, Conservatives, FARC, ELN, EPL, and M-19 alike have committed atrocities this documentary can't even begin to address. Giving aid to Colombia helps Colombians. Giving aid to North Korea helps...no one. For a better understanding of Colombia, read Walking Ghosts: Murder and Guerrilla Politics in Colombia by Steven Dudley. Many *firsthand* accounts from FARC, Communists, Liberal and Conservative politicos and Dudley's own experiences as a human rights observer in the Peace Brigades. It will OPEN YOUR EYES.

imports like Millions of Pounds of Coca leaves to be proccessed for there Soda,so I doubt they will ever kill all of the plants plus IMO it's yet another Huge Waste of USA funding and that's just the way I see it.