Make your voice heard...if you want to make a difference

Dear friends,

For decades, Latin American leaders have followed US orders to pursue a failed drug war that has seen criminal gangs destroy countries and communities across our region. But now, Latin American leaders are for the first time proposing a new approach to implement policies that actually work. They are meeting in 24 hours and they need our urgent support to stay strong -- sign the urgent petition now:

Our continent is bleeding at the hands of organized criminals and drug traffickers, destroying thousands of lives every year. All because the US has forced Latin American governments to carry out failed drug policies that only reward the criminal gangs behind the drug trade.

Now, for the first time in history, Latin American leaders are separating themselves from the extremism of the US and are pushing for a new approach that could finally deliver results. In 24 hours, Guatemala will bring together the Heads of State of the region to push for a new proposal that gives countries freedom to buck the failed US doctrine and adopt drug policies like those that have worked successfully in Europe.

It’s urgent -- high level officials have told us that for the leaders to stand up to the US, they need to see a groundswell of public support in the next few hours to change the failed status quo. Click below to sign the urgent petition and share with everyone -- when we reach 100,000 our voices will be personally delivered to the Guatemalan commission that is leading the summit. Join in:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/for_the_first_time_in_history_cda/?bZEDveb&v=25463

For decades, governments have ignored both experts’ advice and scientific evidence proving the failure of the War on Drugs, fearing voters will throw them out of office if they support alternative approaches, as they will appear “weak on crime”. But the tide is turning -- the Organization of American States (OAS) is the first international organization that has produced a report laying out real alternatives like supporting new, peaceful, effective approaches in each country instead of using international law to repress innovation. And, for the first time a group of Heads of State want to act on that expert advice.

Momentum for change is building and now is the time to act: Guatemala, Colombia and other countries in the region want reform; and opinion polls show that citizens know the current approach is a catastrophe. Uruguay is developing a smart plan to regulate cannabis and in the US, two states have already voted to legalize and regulate it. And while countries that have experimented with regulation-based policies have seen significant reductions in drug-related crime, addiction and deaths, the lobbies that have fiercely defended the status quo, including military, law enforcement, and prison departments whose budgets are at stake, are losing ground in the debate.

From the streets of Chicago to the streets of Bogota, families across our region are scarred by the wounds of failure, and this is our chance to try success! The Guatemalan President wants to get all the American states to agree to experimentation this week, and those at the negotiating table have told us if we come out in force to say yes to change, we can push back on stalling from fearful countries.

Let’s ensure our continent, that has suffered most deeply, leads the world to review and reform failed international drug laws. We have just hours before the meeting -- sign now and share with everyone -- let’s help our leaders take this crucial step to save lives and restore hope:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/for_the_first_time_in_history_cda/?bZEDveb&v=25463

When politicians take a stand against failed orthodoxies in the face of political risk, as Guatemalan leaders are doing now, and the people don’t rally behind them, they go down in flames. But when mass movements rise up to support them, that’s how history gets made. Let’s make history in Guatemala.

With hope and determination,

Pedro, Maria Paz, Alice, Ricken, Laura, Bissan and the whole Avaaz team

MORE INFORMATION:

OAS chief calls for drug violence debate (AlJazeera)
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/05/2013525124830563273.html

OAS Secretary General Presents Report on the Drug Problem in the Americas (OAS)
http://www.oas.org/en/media_center/press_release.asp?sCodigo=E-194/13

The Drug Problem in the Americas (OAS Analytical Report)
http://www.oas.org/documents/eng/press/Introduction_and_Analytical_Report.pdf

Numbers Tell of Failure in Drug War (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/04/business/in-rethinking-the-war-on-drugs-start-with-the-numbers.html?pagewanted=all


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Avaaz.org is a 21-million-person global campaign network that works to ensure that the views and values of the world's people shape global decision-making. ("Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many languages.) Avaaz members live in every nation of the world; our team is spread across 18 countries on 6 continents and operates in 17 languages. Learn about some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

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I see nothing here but rhetoric and wishful thinking. Sort of like people who spout -"I don't like wars,why can't we live in Peace?". The stage of the 'drug war' that Mexico is just now entering is called the Colombian approach - it is a variation of 'follow the money'. Very aggressive seizure of assets, very aggressive tax investigation. This is what worked in the U.S.A., Europe and Colombia. It hasn't worked in Mexico because the enabling legislation has to be passed, it was introduced, but then came the election. Mexico has a history of protecting Citizens from seizure of private property, especially by government. This was one of the key issues in the Mexican Revolution -which was less than 100 years ago.

If you have a house with a roof that has holes. Some of the rain enters . Not all of the rain enters.
The "Drug War" has stopped some of the "Drug Power" (Money , politics, etc) , But not all. Remember, that you never fail, until you stop trying!

One symptom of insanity is to do the same thing over and over...and expect a different result.

CHILLIN wrote:...Very aggressive seizure of assets, very aggressive tax investigation. This is what worked in the U.S.A....

Wow, I must've slept right through that! I have very deep roots in the Emerald Triangle and I can assure you that the War on Drugs has been a tremendous failure. Each year the marijuana got stronger. Each year the gardens got bigger. Each year the growers fit in with the locals a little bit better. Each year C.A.M.P. was harassing more of our good neighbors and, at the same time, making law enforcement look dangerous, unfriendly and ominous. Now, there are legal growers and legal distributors in several states.
So, by what scale did this approach work in the U.S.A.? Can we just declare victory and everybody go home?

George

CHILLIN wrote:I see nothing here but rhetoric and wishful thinking. Sort of like people who spout -"I don't like wars,why can't we live in Peace?". The stage of the 'drug war' that Mexico is just now entering is called the Colombian approach - it is a variation of 'follow the money'. Very aggressive seizure of assets, very aggressive tax investigation. This is what worked in the U.S.A., Europe and Colombia. It hasn't worked in Mexico because the enabling legislation has to be passed, it was introduced, but then came the election. Mexico has a history of protecting Citizens from seizure of private property, especially by government. This was one of the key issues in the Mexican Revolution -which was less than 100 years ago.

What has worked in the US is that a highly disproportionate percentage of poor, black people ended up in jail, had their assets seized and had their social benefits denied. Yes, follow the money -- but there seems to be little auditing of the banks in the US to stop the laundering of money which is the driver of the business.