Today's Stories: Nearly 4.5 tons of cocaine seized in Colombia Spanish FM visits Colombia to "update" ties Venezuela would never be a US colony: Chavez 18 countries join in anti-doping campaign

Brazil gun amnesty nets huge haul - A Brazilian woman in Sao Paulo has handed almost 1,300 firearms to the authorities, claiming $65,000 under a government disarmament scheme. The woman, whose cache ranged from muskets to mortar shells, told police her late father was a gun collector. The haul was collected from her home in a heavily-armed police truck. More than 7,000 weapons have been surrendered across Brazil since the campaign launch last week, in which the government pays citizens for weapons. According to the United Nations, Brazil has the world's fourth-highest murder rate, with 40,000 gun-related murders last year. Under the scheme, payments range from $33 for a pistol to $100 for an assault rifle. Anyone can hand in a weapon before the end of the year without fear of being questioned or charged with illegal possession.

"It is a very large cargo that was seized there," National Police Commander, general Jorge D. Castro, told the local television network RCN.

He added that the seizure carried out at the rural area of the municipality of Necocli, some 500 kilometers northwest of Bogota, could be one of the largest "in the history of Colombia."

According to the police chief, the drug belonged to a paramilitary commander identified as "El Aleman" (The German), an alias used by Jose Alfredo Berrio, chief of Block Elmer Cardenas, a division of the armed group of United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC).

The paramilitaries had presumably tried to ambush the policemen in the Cordoba state on their way to seize the drug. Some 4,420 kgof cocaine kept in a hideout were seized and one suspect was captured during the operation.

Block Elmer Cardenas is outside the peace negotiations between the AUC and the government of President Alvaro Uribe.

United States, the principal provider of funds in the war on drug in the Andean region, has expressed concern over the Colombian government's negotiations with the AUC, citing the close links of the illegal armed group with international drug trafficking.

In addition to this haul, anti-narcotics police agents also seized a ton of cocaine on Thursday hidden in an power plant in the region of Yumbo, southwest of Bogota. The cargo, valued at 20 million US dollars, was to be shipped to the United States.

According to authorities, the drug might belong to one of the top leaders of the paramilitary group of Norte del Valle Cartel, which operates side by side with the paramilitaries of the AUC.
 

Spanish FM visits Colombia to "update" ties
Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos arrived here Friday for a brief visit to "update" the bilateral relations.

Moratinos, on an America tour that included stops in New York and Brasilia, was accompanied by a parliamentary delegation composed of representatives from almost every party. senior government officials said.

In addition to meeting with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and, the Spanish diplomat will also meet with his Colombian counterpart, Maria Carolina Barco Isackson, and Vice President Francisco Santos, senior government officials said.

Madrid considers it necessary to "re-evaluate" its military cooperation with Colombia "in the regional context," in such a waythat other needs of the Andean country, like the defense of human rights and the combat against drug traffic, could be attended.

The previous government of Spain headed by Jose Maria Aznar had agreed to sell Colombia under favorable conditions eight CX-212 planes and nearly 40 AMX-30 tanks, but the deal was suspended withthe taking office of the new government led by the Spanish Socialist Workers Party.

Uribe announced last week that he wished the Spanish government would change the sale of tanks for something "more useful."

Moratinos will present a message to the Colombian authorities from Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, in support of the policies driven by Uribe "to consolidate the rule of law all over the territory of the country, with a full respect of human rights and fundamental liberties."

In addition, he will convey the needs of the Spanish investors in the Colombian market and highlight the importance of an environment favorable to increasing the presence of Spanish capital in the Andean country.
 

Venezuela would never be a US colony: Chavez
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez told visiting Argentine President Nestor Kirchner Friday that his country will never be a colony of the United States.

"We are determined to remain free and we won't ever be a US colony," Chavez said at the welcoming ceremony in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela's oil-producing state of Anzoategui.

According to reports, Kirchner arrived in Venezuela after visiting Bolivia, Latin America's largest reserve of natural gas, to discuss energy cooperation.

Chavez, whose term will be subject to a recall referendum promoted by the opposition, said Venezuelans are debating about the country's future and that "the situation is simple, we debate whether Venezuela will continue being a truly free homeland or it will become a US colony."

"Our freedom and potential will help us to unite and make the continent united, free and sovereign forever," he said.

During his meeting with Kirchner, Chavez also highlighted the recent entry of Venezuela into the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) as an associate member.

"We belong to Mercosur, a strategic alliance that will make us free," he said.

Reports said that Kirchner also has plans to reach an agreement on hydrocarbon resources with Venezuela, the world's fifth largest exporter of crude, and will discuss another one with Venezuela on tourism.

Kirchner and Chavez are expected to attend the closing ceremony of a meeting of 600 businessmen of the two countries at the Venezuelan island of Margarita.
 

18 countries join in anti-doping campaign
Representatives from 18 countries accorded to join efforts in their combat against doping within the framework of the meeting of Latin America, Spain and Portugal Sports Council (CID).

The delegations issued a document called Declaration of Cartagena de Indias Against Doping.

Spain's Jaime Lissavetzky, CID Chairman, underscored that this was the first time a declaration of such importance is issued in the community formed by Latin America, Spain and Portugal. The document will be presented to Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee.

The countries accorded to commit in waging an effective war against doping. They will establish and enforce measures of prevention, control and sanction against the traffic of doping-related products and against the use of substances and methods banned from sports.

"CID attempts to unify the efforts of cooperation in order to make this goal to have the greatest possible efficiency," reads the declaration.

Prior to departing for Madrid, Lissavetzky said that in CID would meet again in 2005 to present its plan of decision to harmonize the combat against doping, conclusions that will then be presented before IOC and the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Other issues addressed during the CID meeting was the presentation of the new guidelines of compromise to extend and reinforce sports programs with Latin America, Spain and Portugal, in addition to inform the sports chiefs in Latin America.