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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 023798 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2019 
TAGS: BR KCRM PREL SNAR SOCI BO
SUBJECT: ENGAGING BRAZIL ON REGIONAL COUNTER-NARCOTICS 
COOPERATION 
 
Classified By: WHA/DAS CHRISTOPHER J. MCMULLEN, 1.4 (B), (D) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: WHA and INL recently held an initial 
conversation to encourage the Government of Brazil to assume 
a greater role in regional counter-narcotics efforts.  INL 
A/S Johnson solicited Brazilian views on how to increase 
cooperation in responding to regional drug trends.  WHA DAS 
McMullen noted that the U.S. would like to work more closely 
with Brazil on a regional strategy to combat drug trafficking 
and organized crime in South America.  He added that the U.S. 
would welcome Brazil,s leadership in this effort.  Brazilian 
Foreign Ministry (MFA) Director Virginia Toniatti said she 
would follow up with the appropriate MFA officials regarding 
our interest in closer cooperation.  Meanwhile, there have 
been signs that some senior Brazilian officials are concerned 
about cocaine flows from Bolivia, particularly in light of 
the Bolivian government,s recent expulsion of the Drug 
Enforcement Administration.  We believe this offers an 
opportunity for us to encourage Brazil to take the lead in 
working with us and other South American countries to combat 
the drug problem.  End Summary. 
 
 
Grappling with the Bolivia Problem 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) On March 3, INL's Assistant Secretary David T. Johnson 
and WHA's Deputy Assistant Secretary Christopher J. McMullen 
co-led the U.S. side in a two-hour meeting with a four-person 
delegation from the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 
The Director of MFA,s Office of Transnational and Illicit 
Crimes, Virginia Toniatti, led the Brazilian delegation.  The 
DEA provided a briefing on its efforts to reduce the global 
drug trade, highlighting its focus on disrupting and 
arresting the leaders of key narco-trafficking organizations. 
 DEA underscored that the expulsion of its personnel from 
Bolivia had seriously disrupted efforts to counter the drug 
trade in South America. 
 
¶3. (C) A/S Johnson observed that the U.S. historically had a 
strong and successful counter-narcotics partnership with 
Bolivia.  As a result of DEA,s explusion from Bolivia, 
however, seizures of illicit drugs inside Bolivia have 
decreased while seizures of drugs coming out of Bolivia have 
increased in countries such as Peru and Argentina.  DEA also 
discussed the proliferation of Mexican and Colombian cartels 
in Bolivia and other countries in the region.  Director 
Toniatti said Brazil recognized the threat posed by 
coca-based drugs transiting the region, including Brazil, but 
claimed that her government was more concerned about 
increased trafficking in precursor chemicals and synthetic 
drugs.  (Comment: Despite Toniatti,s claim, reporting from 
multiple sources suggests the GOB is seriously concerned 
about coca-based drugs coming from Bolivia, a factor that 
likely led the Brazilian Embassy to accept our proposal to 
begin a dialogue on closer cooperation.) 
 
 
Gang Violence and Citizens' Security 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (C) The FBI provided an overview of gangs and their key 
role in the drug trade, ranging from production to 
distribution.  Director Toniatti observed that Brazil 
suffered from urban violence in cities such as Rio and Sao 
Paulo.  However, she claimed this was not the same as gang 
violence in Central America and the United States.  She 
 
STATE 00023798  002 OF 002 
 
 
maintained that Brazil's problem with violence in the favelas 
(shanty-towns) was not a gang-related problem; rather, it 
stemmed largely from social exclusion, lack of healthcare, 
and lower education levels.  (Comment: Toniatti,s attempt to 
de-link drugs, gangs and violence in Brazil,s favelas would 
not be credible to the majority of Brazilians, particularly 
those who live in the favelas and suffer from these 
interrelated problems on a daily basis.) 
 
 
Next Steps 
---------- 
 
¶5. (C) INL A/S Johnson stated that both Brazil and the United 
States share a common challenge with drug-trafficking in the 
region.  With DEA no longer able to operate in Bolivia, the 
United States must deal with the problem by working more 
closely with other countries in the region.  He applauded the 
fact that a number of countries in South America, including 
Brazil, had accepted DEA agents who had been expelled from 
Bolivia.  This relocation of DEA agents will facilitate 
efforts to develop a regional strategy to curb the flow of 
drugs coming from Bolivia.  Johnson asked the Brazilians to 
consider developing a coordinated approach in dealing more 
broadly with drug trafficking in the region. WHA DAS McMullen 
underscored the seriousness of the Bolivia problem, 
particularly in light of that country,s weak institutions 
and its lack of capacity to combat Colombian and Mexican 
cartels. 
 
¶6. (C) In response to Toniatti,s query about the state of 
U.S.-Bolivian relations, both A/S Johnson and DAS McMullen 
noted that we would continue to attempt to engage with 
Bolivia.  With that said, strains in U.S.-Bolivian relations 
will likely continue to complicate our ability to cooperate 
effectively with Bolivia on counter-narcotics.  In 
concluding, Director Toniatti said she would report our 
concerns and proposals to MFA officials; she promised to 
follow up on the ideas raised at the meeting.  (Note: A/S 
Johnson sent a follow-up letter to Director Toniatti 
reiterating the USG,s position and encouraging Brazil to 
enhance its counter-narcotics cooperation.) 
 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶7. (C) This initial conversation with MFA officials on closer 
cooperation was a good first step in trying to convince GOB 
authorities that it is in Brazil,s best interests to work 
more closely with us and other countries in the region to 
combat the drug problem.  The GOB has traditionally viewed 
this issue as an "Andean problem," and thus resisted our 
efforts to engage Brazil on collective efforts to combat 
drug-trafficking.  Since the expulsion of DEA from Bolivia, 
there have been signs that some senior Brazilian officials 
are concerned about cocaine flows from Bolivia.  We believe 
this offers us an opportunity to encourage Brazil to take the 
lead in working with us and its neighbors in developing a 
more comprehensive approach to the drug problem. 
CLINTON