Plan Colombia: A Progress Report (CRS Report for Congress)
Premium Purchase PDF for $24.95 (18 pages)
add to cart or
subscribe for unlimited access
Pro Premium subscribers have free access to our full library of CRS reports.
Subscribe today, or
request a demo to learn more.
| Release Date |
Revised Jan. 11, 2006 |
| Report Number |
RL32774 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Connie Veillette, Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
-
Premium Revised June 22, 2005 (17 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised May 9, 2005 (17 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Revised April 12, 2005 (17 pages, $24.95)
add
-
Premium Feb. 17, 2005 (16 pages, $24.95)
add
|
Summary:
Plan Colombia was developed by former President Pastrana (1998-2002) as a six-year plan to
end
Colombia's long armed conflict, eliminate drug trafficking, and promote economic and social
development. The Andean Counterdrug Initiative (ACI) is the primary U.S. program that supports
Plan Colombia. In addition, Colombia receives assistance from the Foreign Military Financing
(FMF) program and the Department of Defense's central counternarcotics account. ACI funding for
Plan Colombia from FY2000 through FY2005 totals approximately $2.8 billion. When FMF and
DOD assistance is included, the total level of U.S. support to Colombia is $4.5 billion. Congress
approved the Administration's request to continue support for Plan Colombia beyond FY2005, but
it also expressed the need for an evaluation of progress and a plan for future years.
The objectives of Colombia and the United States differ in some aspects, although there is a
significant overlap of goals. The primary U.S. objective is to prevent the flow of illegal drugs into
the United States, as well as to help Colombia promote peace and economic development because
it contributes to regional security in the Andes. The primary objectives of Colombia are to promote
peace and economic development, increase security, and end drug trafficking. Both U.S. and
Colombian objectives have also evolved over time from a strict counternarcotics focus to encompass
counterterrorism activities.
Because Plan Colombia is a six-year plan that expired at the end of 2005, Congress has been
and will likely continue assessing its progress in light of the Administration's request to continue
funding the ACI account, the latter having no statutory end-date. Congress has expressed the
expectation that funding would begin to decrease in FY2006. Some Members have also expressed
the opinion that the ratio between interdiction and alternative development should become more
balanced, and that the U.S. role should diminish as Colombia develops more operational capabilities.
Measurable progress in Colombia's internal security has been made, as indicated by decreases
in violence and the eradication of drug crops. After many years of stable prices, purity, and
availability of cocaine and heroin in the United States, prices for both drugs have increased, whereas
purity and availability have decreased. Military operations against illegally armed groups have
intensified, but the main leftist guerrilla group seems no closer to agreeing to a cease-fire. The
demobilization of rightist paramilitary fighters is proceeding, but its is doing so amid controversy
with regard to its implementation.
For more information on Colombia and the Andean Counterdrug Initiative, see CRS Report RL32250 , Colombia: Issues for Congress ; CRS Report RL32337 Andean
Counterdrug Initiative
(ACI) and Related Funding Programs: FY2005 Assistance ; and CRS Report RL33163 ,
Drug Crop
Eradication and Alternative Development in the Andes , all by Connie Veillette. This report
will be
updated as new data become available.
