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ARTICLES)
ROADENING THE ANTIDRUG OFFENSIVEF1
SEN EN EL' CALLS BY COLOMBIAN POLITICAL ANO RELIGIOUS LEADERS IALOGUE KITH THE TRAFFICKERS MAY INTENSIFY IF HSDELLiN DRUG KINGPIN PABLO ESCOBAR IS CAPTURED OR KILLED BY THE GOVERNMENT CR, INDEED. BY HIS RIVALS FROM CALI OR ELSEWHERE. THOSE TAKINGOSITION WOULD NOTE THAT ESCOBAR'S REMOVAL, FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF RODRIGUEZ GACHA IN DECEMBER, RIDS THE COUNTRY OF TKE TWO MOST VIOLENT DRUG TRAFFICKERS AND FULFILLS BOGOTA'S AVOWED GOAL TO BRING THEK TO JUSTICE. THIS TACK WOULD GARNER STRONG PUBLIC SACKING AND INTENSIFY THE ALREADY SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE ON PRESIDENT BARCO TO DRAW DOWN OPERATIONS. TO DO SO, HOWEVER, WOULD LARGELY OFFSET THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PAST SIXRAWDOWN WOULD NOT ONLY PAVE THE WAY FOR TEE MSDELLIN ORGANIZATIONS TO REBOUND BUT WOULD ALSO REMOVE ANY GOVERNMENT CHALLENGE TO THE LESSMORE INSIDIOUS AND EXTREMELYFROM CALI AND THE NORTH COAST, WHICH CONTINUE TO ACCOUNT FOR MUCK OF COLOMBIA'S COCAINE TRACE.
SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNMENT HAS SO FAR GENERALLY TANDING THAT THE VIOLENT TACTICS OF THE FECI LL IN TRAFFICKERSHREAT TO COLOMBIA'S SECURITY. THE DEATH OF RODRIGUEZ GACHAIREFIGKT WITH SECURITY FORCES AND THE GOVERNMENT'S SUBSEQUENT PLFDGE TO PURSUE HIS EQUALLY DANGEROUS COHORT, PABLO ESCOBAR, WON BOGOTA HIGH MARKS AT HOME AND ABROAD FOR ITS COMMITMENT TO CONFRONT THE KINGPINS. NEVERTHELESS, ESCOBAR'S PASSING FROM THE SCENE IS NOT LIKELY TO ACHIEVE ONE OF BOGOTA'S KEY
TRAFFICKERS FROM CALI, THE NORTH COAST, AND ELSEWHERE MEANWHILE HAVE BEEN SPARED THF SAME LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT PRESSURE DEVOTED TO THE MEDELLIN ORGANIZATIONS LARGELY, WE BELIEVE, BECAUSE THEY HISTORICALLY HAVE USED LESS CONFRONTATIONAL TACTICS IN BLUNTING COUNTFRNARCOTICS OPERATIONS. NEVERTHELESS. THESE ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH GENERALLY RELY ON BRIBERY RATHEH THAN INTIMIDATION AND STAY OUT OF THE DIRECT POLITICAL LiyXLIGHT, REPRESENT AN EQUALLY DANGEROUS THREAT TO COLOMBIA'S DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS. PARTICULARLY DISCERNIBLE THROUGH THEIR PENETRATION OF ECONOMIC, POLITICAL, AND
INTEREST;-. THFIOCE? CHLJEC;^ FAMILY ANC ANTACRUZ LONDCNO, FOP EXAMPLE, HAVE VAST COMMERCIAL HOLDINGS IK CALI THAI GIVE THEM CONSIDERABLE STAKE IN INFLUENCING THE' r'< THF CITY AND THE REGION.JJJ|
BUSINESSES,ADIO STATION. SUCH MEDIA CONNECTIONS, WE BELIEVE,
NOFORN, NOCOTWPACT, ORCON
HAXPE? GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO MAINTAIN POPULAR -ACKING FCR THE ANTIDRUG OFFENSIVE.ECENT ARTICLE WRITTEN BY GILBERTO RODRIGUEZ OREJUELA, THE CALI KINGPIN REMINDED THE PUBLIC THAT ATTEMPTS TO SEEK HIS EXTRADITION WERE INVALID BECAUSE HE HAS ALREADY
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