See that sharp drop?

click to enlarge

Adam Isacson, of the Center for International Policy, reminds us today in his truly wonderful Plan Colombia and Beyond blog, not to believe reports that US aid to Latin America has doubled under Dubya.

Bush in Bogota II

click on the image while you still can.

Meanwhile, the Colombian foreign office has its knickers all in a twist about a caricature Amnesty International put out just ahead of Bush's visit.

Watch it, and see for yourself if it warrants this response from Minister of Foreign Relations, Fernando Araujo Perdomo:

Deseo expresar mi más profundo rechazo y enérgica protesta por el contenido y publicación de ese video clip, toda vez que constituye un irrespeto a los esfuerzos, sufrimiento y lucha del Gobierno y del pueblo colombianos en su aspiración legítima de alcanzar la paz.

I wish to express my deepest rejection and most energetic protest for the contents and publication of this video clip, which is disrespectful of the efforts, suffering and struggle of our Government and the Colombian people in their legitimate desire for peace.

Amnesty's response a day later.

Bush in Bogota

The sign top right says "Welcome to Bogota"

Dubya is headed south, and Colombian counterpart Uribe does not want anything bad to happen to the man who signs $4 billion cheques each year. Hence the tank roll out, swinging two elite troops up from the guerrilla-controlled southern plains, and preparing 22,000 military police to patrol not just the caravan route, but every corner of this city of 8 million.

Man is this embarrassing.

Leaving nothing to chance (after, say, yesterday's rock-throwing party at the National University: bring a balaklava and some spray paint and a few anti-imperialist slogans), Bogota's government has also decreed several other measures:

• "dry law," usually reserved for election weekends, is already in effect: no alcohol for sale until after W is gone -- then you can celebrate. The supermarkets tend to stretch ticker-tape across the refrigerator with "ley seca" scribbled on it to keep from having to restock. Wouldn't want anyone to be so drunk they accidentally let a bomb go, now would we?
• no back-seat motorcycle driving. Yes, this caught on first in Cali, where assassins were riding so often on the back of motorcycles (in the parrillero position) that a law was passed limiting two-wheeled machines to only one person. (Originally, the law said no two men on the motorcycles, but assassins started to wear wigs and dresses -- nothing better than a skirt for hiding a submachine gun.)
• no ciclovia. Bogota's famed 121 km of closed roadways, celebrated every Sunday and holiday, will not be open this weekend, because America is coming to visit. As a lot of comments on El Tiempo's website point out: what a shame that "Mr. Bush" won't get to be pleasantly surprised by a peaceful city free of car traffic, with hundreds of thousands of people riding their bikes.
• interrupted cell phone service. Some of the 1,086 gringos who requested visas for this trip have been down in Bogota already for several weeks, checking the sewer grates along the airport road (and installing satellite surveillance devices on each), hanging FBI cameras on light posts all along the caravan route, and spotting sniper positions. They are also bringing cell phone jamming technology, which, the government has warned Colombians, is going to make phone calls spotty on Sunday -- too bad for you! Bombers can't just phone it in.
  

National police have confirmed tapping alleged guerrilla communications with "orders for acts that alter the order." A number of workers syndicates are calling for demonstrations on Sunday morning to oppose Bush's presence in Colombia. As long as they aren't riding a bicycle, drinking, trying to call or sitting shotgun on a motorcycle, they don't see why not.

Jamming the shipment

I suppose by now drug seizures in Colombia are so routine they don't even warrant a wire report. After all, yesterday's was a good 500 lbs. short of a ton, and, being camouflaged in a boxes of jam jars, was hardly the world-class deception that resourceful Colombians have dreamed up in the past: a submarine in the Andes, pure-bred puppies, specially-welded steel coils, to name just a few.

Ever since Escobar "crowned" his first trip to the U.S. in the tiny plane he promptly placed over the entrance to his 7,000 acre estate, Hacienda Napoles, it has been catch-as-catch-can on both sides of the misnamed drug war.

What I like about the report in El Tiempo is that the irony spreading thick, if you will, is not lost on the comment-writers.

Hola hola si Amsterdam?? imaginense que tenemos un retardito con la entrega, nos cojieron un cuarto de la merca en puerto pero ya negociamos re-comprar la mitad y lo que falte se lo metemos en el de la proxima semana! PD; gracias por el contacto en Belgica... que gente pa gueler ala!

Hello Amsterdam? There's been a bit of delay on this delivery, they got a quarter of the merch in port but we've already dealt for a buy-back of half and what's missing we'll make it up to you next week! PS thanks for the Belgian contact... they really know how to sniff!

Another comment points out the irony of the coffeeshop-country destination, and adds, "LONG LIVE MARMALADE." This shipment was to go out in a container from Cartagena. One comment asks how many more have already gone , while another simply hurrumphs about the narcotics division of the national police: "WHO BELIEVES THEM?"

In their tone is the explanation of why no U.S. paper will pick up this news item.