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Coble to Travel to Four South American Nations
to Discuss Terrorism and Drug Trafficking

(WASHINGTON, D.C.)----The chairman of the House Judiciary subcommittee on crime and terrorism will travel to four South American nations next week to discuss anti-terrorism and anti-drug trafficking issues among those countries and the United States. U.S. Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC) will visit Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru.

Coble, who chairs the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, will visit the four Latin American nations from August 14-22. The 6th District congressman said he hopes to schedule meetings with leading officials in the four countries who are on the forefront of the anti-drug efforts. "It is common knowledge that illegal drug trafficking is a significant contributor to terrorists around the world," Coble noted, "and I hope to discuss with my counterparts in these South American countries what we can do jointly to further anti-drug and anti-terrorism efforts around the globe. Congressman Jerry Weller (R-IL), who is organizing the congressional visit, asked me to join his program because of our subcommittee's role in working on crime and terrorism issues. I am looking forward to a series of fruitful meetings during our visit."

The tentative schedule has the group in Venezuela on August 15-16, in Ecuador on August 17-18, in Bolivia on August 19-20, and Peru on August 21-22. In addition to Reps. Coble and Weller, the others scheduled to participate include Reps. William Delahunt (D-MA), Gregory Meeks (D-FL), and Gresham Barrett (R-SC).

Rep. Coble said the group already has scheduled meetings with the presidents of Ecuador and Peru, along with narcotics and security officials in those countries. The other meetings are still being planned at this time.

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