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TV program on Colombia

Last night, a show called “Wide Angle” on Public Broadcasting aired a piece on “drug smuggling and government corruption”. Of course, the program mentioned Colombia and only Colombia, as if it was the only country involved in drug smuggling.

It started by profiling Maria Christina Chirola, who got a top anti-drug job in the Attorney General’s office when some others were fired for corruption. She said she expects to be murdered. “There is no reliable protection in Colombia. Death is normal”. She also criticized the importing nations for their hypocrisy - Colombia is stereotyped and criticized, when demand is the root of the problem.

Next they showed a drug lab near Popayan (owned by the paramilitaries) being destroyed. The lab could process up to a ton of cocaine a week. (I never knew they used microwaves to dry coke.) The smuggling through Isla Bolivar and San Andes was also shown.

A left-wing member of the legislature then said that the paras are now the biggest drug producers, and that they have penetrated virtually every part of and every institution in the country. He claimed that police taped a telephone call in which an official in the Attorney General’s office begged an AUC commander (Carlos Castenada?) to assassinate the legislator.

Despite all of this, the program ended on a positive note. According to them, murders and kidnapping are now way down, and 80% of the country is now controlled by either the government, or the paras. Still, it appeared a pretty one-sided view of Colombi

By michaelz on Aug 17, 2005, 04:53 in Friendly Talkzone.

Miguel says on Aug 17, 2005, 05:17:

Read Before Posting, Please This program already has a thread devoted to it.

0 funny, 0 helpful.