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Ship of Fools

This is rather amusing in a perverse way. Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo arrived in Cartagena to discuss anti-drug strategies with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. Shortly before they were to meet on the Uribe's prize naval flagship, about 37 pounds of cocaine and 22 pounds of heroin were found in the engine room.

One wonders if it was for personal use of the crew. The Gloria, pride of the Colombian Navy was due to was to embark on a six-month trip to the United States and Europe. The trip will probably be delayed however, as Uribe has suspended the entire 75 man crew and arrested three sailors.

Toledo had come to discuss regional cooperation in combating cocaine production. He wryly noted that "drug trafficking is a problem and the events on that ship are evidence of that." Citing a need for a common strategy, Toledo suggested governments pool their resources and complained that consumer nations should be doing more to help. He also denied that the Shining Path was contributing to civil unrest in Colombian border areas despite this statement from a man claiming to be the last living leader of the group, threatening renewed violence.

Keep an eye on our neighbors to the south. While we are all distracted by Iraq and the elections, from Venezuela to Bolivia and beyond, US meddling is creating a tinder keg that could blow up at any minute.