Guatemala asks for greater anti-drugs aid from US
Guatemalan President Oscar Berger Saturday urged the United States to provide more material and financial assistance for an efficient combat against drug trafficking.

Berger said "Guatemala is and will continue being a good partner of the United States in the combat against drug-trafficking," according to reports reaching here from Guatemala City, capital of Guatemala.

Berger's remarks came three days after the United States identified 14 Latin American nations, including Guatemala, as major drug producers or drug-transit points and warned that these countries could be subject to US sanctions unless they are deemed to be cooperating in the anti-narcotics fight.

"Should the United States want more efficiency, then it ought to be a better partner. They have the resources and must strengthen the Guatemalan army with speedboats and helicopters," Berger said.

Berger reaffirmed that the Guatemalan government has done its best in the combat against drug trafficking while complaining that it lacks enough material and financial support.

"The only resources we count with in the combat against drug trafficking in Guatemala are ourselves," he added.

Guatemala has long been a transit point for shipping narcotics to Mexico and the world's biggest drug market, the United States.
 

Colombian president gives demobilization ultimatum to paramilitaries
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe gave an ultimatum Saturday to paramilitary groups operating in Colombia's central province of Meta, ordering them to demobilize at once, said the State News Service (SNS).

"The ultimatum has a deadline, and it is not tomorrow or the day after. Either the paramilitaries demobilize at once or they will be militarily defeated," said Uribe, who is currently visiting Meta.

"We need a Meta province without paramilitaries," said the president after ordering the armed forces to prepare for operations against the illegal armed group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Colombia has been plagued by a four-decade civil war, in which leftist rebels, far-right paramilitary and governmental troops fight one another, with an average 3,500 people killed every year. About 2,000 people, including 22 foreigners, were kidnapped in Colombia last year alone.
 

FARC's explosives expert arrested in Colombia
Francisco Rivera, who has been accused of producing explosives for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and being involved in several terrorist attacks in Bogota, was captured here Saturday.

The Bogota Police Commander, Gel. Hector Garcia, told the press several explosive devices were also seized in the operation.

The general said Rivera was behind the bomb attack on Friday against Bogota's public transportation system and he was also involved in several attacks which claimed seven lives.

The general also said, Rivera is a member of the urban network of FARC, Colombia's largest rebel group, which has waged a war against the central government for nearly decades.

Meanwhile, Police Director, Gel. Jorge Castro, Saturday offered a 20,000-dollar reward for information leading to the capture of the attackers last Friday.

Colombia has been plagued by a four-decade civil war, in which leftist rebels, far-right paramilitary and governmental troops fight one another, with an average 3,500 people killed every year. About 2,000 people, including 22 foreigners, were kidnapped in Colombia last year alone.

Bolivia seeks support from Brazil, Spain for new law on hydrocarbons
Bolivia will seek support from Brazil and Spain in enacting a new law on hydrocarbons that is currently debated in the country's Congress, Bolivian Foreign Minister Juan Siles said Saturday.

Siles said that Bolivian President Carlos Mesa will try to obtain support from his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Spanish counterpart Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero during the upcoming meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) due to be held in the United States on Sept. 21.

The minister said that the support is "vital" because the Brazilian oil company PETROBRAS and the Spanish oil company Repsolare two of the leading oil-exporting companies exploiting hydrocarbons in Bolivia.

The new law on hydrocarbons, proposed on the basis of a July 18referendum, plans to increase taxes and bonus of up to 50 percent,and would force exploiting firms to sign new agreements.

Bolivia's Hydrocarbon Chamber (CBH) has reiterated its opposition to any modification of the previously signed contracts, claiming it as a violation of the regulations that have been in effect since 1997.

The CBH also warned of the possibility of resorting to international tribunals.

Bolivia has natural gas reserves of 54.8 quadrillion cubic feet, the second largest volume in South America behind Venezuela.