Coke used in Colombia congress

2005-08-25 22:20

Javier Baena

Bogota - Colombian lawmakers use cocaine at work and the drug is being sold within the halls of congress, the senate vice-president said Thursday, disclosing details of an investigation that uncovered serious security breaches.

"Biscuit sellers, shoe sellers, astrologers and marijuana and cocaine dealers all enter congress," senator Edgar Artunduaga said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

Artunduaga's office ordered the investigation. He wouldn't provide details who carried it out or what methods they used.

He said the recent probe into security at the congressional buildings also revealed that none of the closed circuit cameras worked and that about 10 000 people possessed security badges giving them access to the buildings, but many of the IDs were fake.

Artunduaga, however, refused to provide the names of lawmakers he said were using cocaine, despite pressure from some of his colleagues.

'Smear campaign'

He noted that it's legal in Colombia to possess small amounts of marijuana, cocaine or heroin for personal usage.

"But I will denounce the (drug) dealers to authorities," he said, describing some of them as "middle-ranking officials".

Some lawmakers accused Artunduaga, a former journalist, of deliberately trying to smear congress's reputation.

"Artunduaga should present evidence and say who are the lawmakers that use drugs, or resign," said Armando Benedetti, a pro-government deputy in the lower chamber.

Senator Antonio Navarro, former guerrilla leader and leading critic of conservative President Alvaro Uribe, said he was surprised by the allegations.

"Speaking for myself, nobody has offered me any," Navarro, who is running for president in next year's elections, told Caracol radio.

Colombia is the world's biggest producer of cocaine.

The United States has provided about $4bn in mostly military aid to Colombia since 2000 to combat drug trafficking and leftist rebels that control much of the trade.

- AP