(5 Sep 1995) Spanish/Nat

A debate on drug trafficking headlined the last day of the Rio Summit in Quito, Ecuador, on Tuesday.
Colombian president Ernesto Samper was praised by the other 13 Latin American leaders attending the conference for his efforts in cracking down drug traffickers in Colombia.

Security was tight Tuesday outside the Hotel Colon in Quito where 14 Latin American leaders gathered for the last day of the two-day Group of Rio Summit.

But the conference was overshadowed by a group of demonstrators protesting against the liberal economic trends of the majority of their leaders.

Holding large U-S dollar bills with the faces of some Latin American leaders, protesters called for an end to liberalisation of the economy and privatisation of state industries.

Tuesday's topic in the summit agenda was the war against drugs in the region.

Leaders of the countries participating praised Colombia's president Ernesto Samper for his efforts in dismantling the powerful drug cartels.

SOUNDBITE: (In Spanish)

"There has been an enormous consensus among all the leaders participating in the Rio Group summit to acknowledge the courage, decision, strength and the effectiveness in which President Samper is fighting drug trafficking."
SUPER CAPTION: Ernesto Zedillo, President of Mexico

Samper himself called for a regional effort in battling drug trafficking.

SOUNDBITE: (In Spanish)

"The idea is that the countries from the Andean region join forces in different areas. For example, with the disbanding of the Cali cartel the price of coca leaf in Peru has fallen which indicates that there's a close relationship between one country's fight and that of another."
SUPER CAPTION: Ernesto Samper Pizano, President of Colombia

Corruption in the region has intensified because of the vast fortunes managed by drug trafficking cartels and the sudden wealth from oil exports enjoyed by countries like Venezuela and Ecuador.

Argentina's president Carlos Menem expressed his commitment to jail drug criminals in his country.

SOUNDBITE: (In Spanish)

"The Argentine authorities will prosecute that criminal (any drug trafficker) who causes so much harm in Colombia as well as in any other country in Latin America."
SUPER CAPTION: Carlos Menem, President of Argentina

The Group of Rio leaders addressed other regional issues such as political corruption and poverty.

The summit is expected to close with the signing of the Declaration of Quito which tackles the issues of corruption, drug trafficking and calls for an end to nuclear testing by France and China.

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