President Biden Labels Belize a Major Drug Transit Country in US Designation

US President Joe Biden has declared Belize as major drug transit country.  The designation was declared on September 15 as part of the US Foreign Relations Authorization Act, President Biden identified several countries as, quote, “a major drug transit or major illicit drug producing countries (including countries that are a significant direct source of precursor chemicals used in the production of certain drugs and substances significantly affecting the United States.”  End of quote.  Those countries listed are Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Burma, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.  According to the declaration, the listing does not reflect the respective government’s efforts at fighting drug trafficking nor does it reflect the level of cooperation with the US.  It further noted that countries are placed on the list due to several factors including, ‘a combination of geographic, commercial, and economic factors that allow drugs or precursor chemicals to be transited or produced, even if a government has engaged in robust and diligent narcotics control and law enforcement measures’.  Meanwhile, three countries have been designated as having failed demonstrably during the previous 12 months to both adhere to their obligations under international counter narcotics agreements and to take the measures required.  Those countries are Bolivia, Burma, and Venezuela.  According to US Statistics, an estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths in the United States during 2023; a decrease of 3 percent from the 111,029 deaths estimated in 2022.  2023 has been noted as the US first decrease in drug overdose deaths since 2018.  Love News understands that the Biden Administration launched a Global Coalition in July 2023, bringing together more than 150 countries from every region of the world to address synthetic drug threats.