US drug czar: cocaine flow up through Venezuela

The U.S. drug czar appealed to Venezuela's government on Friday to take action against the flourishing flow of cocaine being smuggled through the country. White House drug czar John Walters told The Associated Press that Venezuela has shown no willingness to cooperate with U.S. officials against drugs. The flow of Colombian cocaine through Venezuela has quadrupled since 2004, reaching an estimated 282 tons (256 metric tons) last year, he said. 'The flow is increasing as dramatically as it is because it is operating in a condition of impunity,' Walters told the AP in a phone interview from Washington. 'The failure of the Venezuelan government to go after this is a failure to be serious.' Venezuelan officials argue they are taking drug trafficking seriously and point to large seizures in recent years. President Hugo Chavez and his foreign minister, Nicolas Maduro, have suggested they would be willing to work with the U.S. against drugs if on terms of mutual respect.