Presidential Determination on Major Drug Transit or Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries for Fiscal Year 2020, 44679-44680 [2019-18595]

Agencies

• Executive Office of the President

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 166 (Tuesday, August 27, 2019)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 44679-44680]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-18595]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 166 / Tuesday, August 27, 2019 / 
Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

[[Page 44679]]

                Presidential Determination No. 2019-22 of August 8, 
                2019

                
Presidential Determination on Major Drug Transit 
                or Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries for Fiscal 
                Year 2020

                Memorandum for the Secretary of State

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States, 
                including section 706(1) of the Foreign Relations 
                Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-
                228) (FRAA), I hereby identify the following countries 
                as major drug transit or major illicit drug producing 
                countries: Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, 
                Burma, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, 
                Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, 
                India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, 
                Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

                A country's presence on the foregoing list is not 
                necessarily a reflection of its government's 
                counternarcotics efforts or level of cooperation with 
                the United States. Consistent with the statutory 
                definition of a major drug transit or major illicit 
                drug producing country set forth in section 481(e)(2) 
                and (5) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as 
                amended (Public Law 87-195)(FAA), the reason countries 
                are placed on the list is the combination of 
                geographic, commercial, and economic factors that allow 
                drugs to transit or be produced, even if a government 
                has engaged in robust and diligent narcotics control 
                measures.

                Pursuant to section 706(2)(A) of the FRAA, I hereby 
                designate Bolivia and the illegitimate regime of 
                Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela as having failed 
                demonstrably during the previous 12 months to adhere to 
                their obligations under international counternarcotics 
                agreements and to take the measures required by section 
                489(a)(1) of the FAA. Included with this determination 
                are justifications for the designations of Bolivia and 
                the Maduro regime, as required by section 706(2)(B) of 
                the FRAA. I have also determined, in accordance with 
                provisions of section 706(3)(A) of the FRAA, that 
                United States programs that support the legitimate 
                interim government in Venezuela are vital to the 
                national interests of the United States.

                My Administration has devoted unprecedented resources 
                to combating the scourge of illicit drugs in the United 
                States, including by strengthening our country's 
                borders and expanding programs to prevent illicit drug 
                use and aid the recovery and treatment of those who 
                need it. We are making steady progress to turn the tide 
                of our country's drug epidemic, but more needs to be 
                accomplished. This includes further efforts beyond our 
                Nation's borders, by governments of countries where 
                dangerous illegal drugs originate.

                In Colombia, President Ivan Duque has made early 
                progress in rolling back the record-high coca 
                cultivation and cocaine production levels inherited 
                from his predecessor and in leading efforts to restart 
                a Colombian-led aerial eradication program. This 
                progress needs to continue and expand, and my 
                Administration will work with our Colombian partners to 
                reach our joint 5-year goal to reduce coca cultivation 
                and cocaine production by half by the end of 2023. We 
                will also continue to coordinate closely with Colombia 
                and other like-minded partners in our hemisphere to 
                restore democracy in Venezuela. With the end of the 
                Maduro dictatorship rife with criminal elements, the 
                United States will have a much better opportunity to 
                work with Venezuela to stem the flow of drugs leaving 
                South America.

[[Page 44680]]

                Along our southern border, Mexico needs to do more to 
                stop the flow of deadly drugs entering our country. We 
                need the Mexican government to intensify its efforts to 
                increase poppy eradication, illicit drug interdiction, 
                prosecutions, and asset seizures, and to develop a 
                comprehensive drug control strategy. In particular, 
                Mexico's full cooperation is essential to reduce heroin 
                production and confront illicit fentanyl production and 
                every form of drug trafficking, including through 
                United States ports of entry.

                Many Mexican military and law enforcement 
                professionals, in cooperation with their United States 
                counterparts, are bravely meeting this challenge and 
                confronting the transnational criminal organizations 
                that threaten both of our countries. We need to see a 
                sustained and unified commitment from Mexican 
                government officials across military and civilian 
                agencies and working with foreign partners. Without 
                further progress over the coming year, I will consider 
                determining that Mexico has failed demonstrably to 
                uphold its international drug control commitments.

                You are authorized and directed to submit this 
                designation, with the Bolivia and Venezuela memoranda 
                of justification, under section 706 of the FRAA, to the 
                Congress, and to publish it in the Federal Register.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    Washington, August 8, 2019

[FR Doc. 2019-18595
Filed 8-26-19; 8:45 am]
Billing code 4710-10-P