Syria and Cuba against drug trafficking. Exactly!

Syria and Cuba against drug trafficking. Exactly! Like Lucky Luciano and Al Capone against prohibition.

JOSE BRECHNER

Bashar Al Assad's, anointed president of Syria after the death of his father, established good relations with Hugo Chavez in 2007 giving Damascus Airport for stopover point, to facilitate the new weekly commercial flights between Caracas and Tehran.

Chavez was in Damascus in 2006 and 2009 and plans to return before year's end. Other leaders who visited Syria were Fidel Castro in 2001 and Lula da Silva in 2003.

Al Assad recently reciprocated these visits in his first tour to Latin America, landing in Venezuela, Cuba, Brazil and Argentina.

In Havana, Al Assad with Raul Castro signed a bilateral agreement on cooperation against drug trafficking.

For a Middle Eastern nation to sign an anti-drug agreement with a Caribbean country, something has to be involved. Otherwise it would be like Iceland establishing a non arms proliferation treaty with Haiti.

Syria's relations with Latin America began in Cuba on August 11, 1965. These went unnoticed for many, but not for those who know the drug trade. Cuba has been one of the largest ports for re-export of narcotics to the world since the 70´s.

At the height of disco era and cocaine consumption, Syria planted poppy and cannabis.

Syria controlled the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, which produces opium and hashish. Today its production has declined.

Damascus is one of the routes of drug trafficking, which serves as point of transit between Lebanon and Turkey. It is the main port of entry for South American cocaine sent from Caracas for redistribution in Europe, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates.

Being a drug dealer country, Syria was decertified by the United States for 10 years. As it ceased to be a producer, it raised its score. Currently it is only a transit site for cocaine, heroin and designer drugs.

Now that drug trafficking is directed from the Venezuelan government, and direct flights between Caracas and Damascus are beyond the control of American and European police, Raul Castro signed the agreement against the narcotics trade with his counterpart. It means business is swelling.