At UNGA, Latin American Leaders Talk Economic, Drug Policy

Every third Tuesday in September, heads of state from across the globe converge at the UN’s New York headquarters to kick off debate for a new session of the body’s annual General Assembly. Over the course of a few days, leaders deliver remarks on heated topics related to crisis and conflict—and this week’s opening of the 67th Assembly was no different. Latin American leaders weighed in on top issues for the region and the world, with their concerns about the global economy and debate over drug-war policy making headlines.

International drug policy—and the violence associated with it—drew strong remarks from the Latin American leaders. In his last address to the UN as president of Mexico, Felipe Calderón charged “consuming countries” with failing to stop the cash flow that empowers organized criminals and, in turn, fosters violence across the region. “The money that comes from consumers is claiming the lives of thousands and thousands of young people in Latin American and the Caribbean,” said Calderón, who called on the UN to assess the “progress and limits of a prohibitionist approach.” The Mexican leader was not alone in questioning the status quo on drug policy. “It is our duty to determine—on an objective scientific basis—if we are doing the best we can or if there are better options to combat the scourge,” said Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos during his remarks. Guatemala’s Otto Pérez Molina, who’s questioning of regional drug policy has been a cornerstone of his administration since he took office earlier this year, said the war on drugs had fallen short and “it’s time to accept this truth.”

But concerns about economic and fiscal policy drew strong words as well, with several leaders criticizing austerity measures and protectionism in Europe and the United States. Opening the UN General Assembly for the second year in a row, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff began her address by taking aim at such strategies. “Monetary policy cannot be the only response to solve growing unemployment, rising poverty, and the despair that affects the most vulnerable sectors of the population the world over,” she said. “History has revealed that austerity, when excessive and detached from growth, is counterproductive.” Rousseff also commented on trade policy, saying: “We cannot accept that legitimate trade defense initiatives by developing countries be unfairly classified as protectionism.”

Similarly, Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner spoke about monetary policy, criticizing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for issuing a warning against Argentina that it could face sanctions if it does not publish reliable economic data. She called the IMF’s austerity measures “absolutely absurd” and pointed to its policy prescriptions as responsible for Argentina’s 2001 financial collapse. Fernández de Kirchner also said the global economic crisis stemmed from “the wealthiest sectors of society” and the “unsuccessful orthodox policies applied for decades.” Danilo Medina, president of the Dominican Republic, criticized economic policies in the United States and Europe, saying: “This [economic] crisis was caused by the lack of application of effective regulations on the international financial system, as well as by arrogance, greed and the unbridled urge to accumulate wealth.”

Social inclusion served as a central issue for many Latin American leaders. Rousseff touted Brazil’s achievement of lifting 40 million from poverty, as well as declining inequality rates. Santos spoke about Colombia’s Victims Law, a large-scale social inclusion initiative intended to return land to displaced people. Medina devoted much of his speech to discussing the need for social inclusion, calling for investments in education, employment, and health. Similarly, Honduran President Porfirio Lobo discussed a number of programs that target inequality in his country focused on women’s political participation, legislation against human trafficking, summits for the indigenous and people of African descent, and cash-transfer programs.

The structure of the UN itself was a topic for some leaders, with reform coming up in several speeches. Bolivian President Evo Morales called the UN the “Un-united Nations,” saying, “we’re defenders of human rights and democracy but in reality, we’re divided.” He said countries failed to respect UN decisions, and that countries are unable to agree on substantive issues. Rousseff called for institutional reform as well, saying the UN needed “legitimate actions based on international law.” She also urged for UN Security Council reform; Brazil has long sought a permanent seat in this group.

In other UNGA news:

• On the sidelines of the General Assembly, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon launched a new environmental initiative as a follow-up to the Rio+20 conference held in Brazil in June. Called Sustainability for All, the program seeks “universal access to modern energy, double the share of renewable energy worldwide and double the rate of improving energy efficiency over the next two decades,” reports IPS News.
• Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos met with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda on the sidelines of the UNGA, as both leaders agreed to begin negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement.
• The UN Office on Drugs and Crime released a new report on organized crime in Central America and the Caribbean, which will be discussed by Central American ministers in New York on September 28. The report found that while cocaine flows impact crime, organized crime syndicates are the main source of the violence. For example, El Salvador experiences 2 percent of the cocaine flow that Guatemala does but has had one of the highest homicide rates in the Americas over the past decade.