FHC defende a legalização da maconha no Observer

O Observer deste domingo publicou um artigo do ex-presidente Fernando Henrique Cardoso (PSDB/SP) defendendo mudanças na estratégia da "Guerra contra as Drogas" e, especificamente, a legalização da maconha.

Continuing the drugs war with more of the same is ludicrous. What is needed is a serious debate that will lead to the adoption of more humane and more effective strategies to deal with the global drug problem. Earlier this year the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy, which I co-chaired with the former president of Colombia, César Gaviria, and the former president of Mexico, Ernesto Zedillo, released the first high-level statement ever to endorse harm-reduction generally and decriminalisation of marijuana specifically.

FHC destaca as recentes mudanças na Argentina, México, Colômbia, Bolívia e Equador e afirma que o Brasil o legislativo está prestes a discutir o fim das penalidades para o consumo de pequenas quantidades de maconha.

The shift towards harm-reduction efforts and decriminalisation has already begun. Recently, a landmark ruling by Argentina's supreme court and a law passed by Mexico's Congress have for all practical purposes removed criminal penalties in those countries for the possession of small amounts of drugs for personal and immediate consumption.

Colombia was the first country to take this step. A decision by its constitutional court in 1994 scrapped penalties for private consumption. Bolivia and Ecuador have liberalised their drug laws. Change is also imminent in Brazil. The chief justice of our highest court made a public appeal for clarification of the differentiation between drug user and drug dealer. A current ambiguity in the law effectively opens opportunities for police corruption and extortion. Brazil's legislature is about to consider a new law to remove penalties for the consumption of small amounts of marijuana.

Em outro artigo, o Observer (que é a edição de domingo do Guardian, o jornal da esquerda educada britânica) pergunta: Is America ready to admit defeat in its 40-year war on drugs?

O texto afima que a América Latina está se desviando do caminho decidido em Washington. De acordo com Observer, a nova forma de pensar é sinal de uma nova era na política da América do Sul. Tempos de parceria com os EUA e não de subserviência que caracterizaram as últimas décadas.

Latin America is seeking a different route to that of outright interdiction as advocated – and for decades directed – by Washington. The new thinking is emblematic of a new era in South American politics and statehood, in which the lexicon demands partnership with the US, not the subjugation that hallmarked the presidencies of Nixon, Reagan, the Bushes and Clinton.

O artigo traz montes de exemplos da violência causada pela "Guerra contra as drogas" por toda a nossa região, demonstrando que a política dos EUA de repressão causa mais males que o consumo de drogas.

Sobre o Brasil, o texto destaca que brasileiros que tratam diretamente com o problema das drogas acreditam na descriminalização das drogas é um caminho para retirar poder dos traficantes, mas mudanças legislativas devem ser dificultadas pela direita brasileira e Igreja Católica.

Brazilian drugs campaigners see decriminalisation as a way of wresting power from heavily armed gangs. Under Brazilian law, possession of any drug is a crime, and any move to relax drug laws is likely to face fierce opposition from the Brazilian right and the Catholic church.

But "for South American countries, the 'harm' from drugs comes less from drug use than the war against producers and traffickers", said Benjamin Lessing, a University of California researcher. "The bloodshed in Mexico is grabbing headlines, but thousands of people die every year in Rio de Janeiro in clashes between police and traffickers."

Eduardo Machado, an activist from the PE Body Count group, which documents homicide levels in Recife, one of Brazil's most violent cities, said the country's war on drugs had sidelined debate over "the huge public health problem" they caused. "As long as we look at the problem of drugs in terms of repression, we will carry on failing," he said. "As long as the debate about drugs revolves around being more or less repressive, we will continue to lose thousands of young lives each year."

Que o bom senso vença. Espero que os conservadores e a Igreja Católica tenham compaixão pelas milhares de pessoas mortas todos os anos em nome desta política radical e irracional.

O caminho da repressão já está sendo trilhado há mais de 40 anos.... Bandidos, vendedores de armas e outros negócios ligados à violência lucram com a ilegalidade, mas o consumo de drogas só aumenta.

FHC e outras lideranças latino-americanas estão apontando para uma nova direção.

Pode até não dar certo. Entretanto, qtas balas perdidas alojadas nas cabeças de inocentes serão necessárias para convencer a direita e os católicos que há necessidade de mudar?