The Drug War: U.S. Programs in Peru Face Serious Obstacles
NSIAD-92-36
Published: Oct 21, 1991. Publicly Released: Nov 08, 1991.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined the U.S. Andean Strategy, focusing on: (1) the effectiveness and management of U.S. military and law enforcement counternarcotics aid to Peru; and (2) factors that affect the U.S. counternarcotics strategy in Peru.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of State | The Secretary of State should ensure that plans are developed and approved by U.S. agencies and their Peruvian counterparts on methods that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of U.S. antidrug programs in Peru. Those methods should include: (1) the establishment of reliable criteria for measuring the effectiveness of U.S. programs in reducing coca production in Peru; and (2) assessments of Peru's progress in overcoming impediments hindering the effectiveness of U.S. antidrug programs. |
The April 5, 1992 self-coup, by Peru's president, resulted in the suspension of U.S. antidrug economic and military aid to Peru. A State Department official stated that "no other plans are needed", the existing bilateral agreement and related plans to support the limited remaining programs have criteria and are adequate.
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| Department of State | The Secretary of State should ensure that plans are developed for end-use monitoring of the military aid. |
The suspension of U.S. military assistance for Peru's military in 1992 has resulted in no need for a military end-use monitoring plan.
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| Department of State | The Secretary of State should take necessary steps to ensure that the U.S. Embassy complies with policies prohibiting police training for units that are not primarily involved in counternarcotics operations. |
The State Department does not agree with the GAO recommendation. The agency's March 20, 1992 letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee states that the U.S. Embassy in Peru has been in compliance with U.S. policy. Furthermore, this type of training was terminated with the suspension of U.S. military assistance to Peru.
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Controlled substancesDrug traffickingEvaluation criteriaFederal aid to foreign countriesForeign governmentsForeign military assistanceInternational relationsLaw enforcementMonitoringNarcotics