Panama says no to legalizing drugs

Panama has turned down flat the legalization of drugs to end the drug wars, even before discussions have started.

The Government of Panama expressed its "absolute" rejection of the possibility, which has been raised in many countries, but will listen with "great respect" to  the proposal to open a debate on the question which will be submitted formally on Wednesday by the new government of Guatemala.

"We are not at for  decriminalizing  drugs " said Panama’s Minister of Foreign Affairs,  Roberto Henriquez while confirming that  the vice president of Guatemala, Roxana Baldetti, will be in Panama Wednesday to open a Central American tour to explain her government's proposal to open a debate on the possible decriminalization or legalization of drugs as a strategy to combat drug trafficking and curb the extreme violence generated in the region. 

On the same day, Panama will be visited by the US Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, who on Monday, February 27, started a regional tour in Guatemala to discuss regional security. 

"The Panamanian position is that we do not agree to decriminalize drugs, but if ever that were to occur,  it would have to be be based on the context of all the countries concerned and involved," said Henriquez. 

The Baledetti tour seeks to enlist the support of Central American states for  the initiative of Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina, so that the proposal to open a debate on the decriminalization of drugs can be presented as a regional initiative at the Summit of the Americas in April.