[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 193 (Thursday, October 4, 2018)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 50239-50240]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-21806]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 83 , No. 193 / Thursday, October 4, 2018 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 50239]]


                Presidential Determination No. 2018-12 of September 11, 
                2018

                
Presidential Determination on Major Drug Transit 
                or Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries for Fiscal 
                Year 2019

                Memorandum for the Secretary of State

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States, 
                including section 706(1) of the Foreign Relations 
                Authorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-
                228) (FRAA), I hereby identify the following countries 
                as major drug transit or major illicit drug producing 
                countries: Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, 
                Burma, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, 
                Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, 
                India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, 
                Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.

                A country's presence on the foregoing list is not 
                necessarily a reflection of its government's 
                counternarcotics efforts or level of cooperation with 
                the United States. Consistent with the statutory 
                definition of a major drug transit or drug producing 
                country set forth in section 48l(e)(2) and (5) of the 
                Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (FAA), the 
                reason countries are placed on the list is the 
                combination of geographic, commercial, and economic 
                factors that allow drugs to transit or be produced, 
                even if a government has engaged in robust and diligent 
                narcotics control measures.

                Pursuant to section 706(2)(A) of the FRAA, I hereby 
                designate Bolivia and Venezuela as countries that have 
                failed demonstrably during the previous 12 months to 
                adhere to their obligations under international 
                counternarcotics agreements and to take the measures 
                required by section 489(a)(1) of the FAA. Included with 
                this determination are justifications for these 
                designations, as required by section 706(2)(B) of the 
                FRAA. I have also determined, in accordance with 
                provisions of section 706(3)(A) of the FRAA, that 
                support for programs to aid the promotion of democracy 
                in Venezuela are vital to the national interests of the 
                United States.

                Combatting the ongoing United States opioid epidemic is 
                one of my Administration's most urgent priorities. The 
                Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018, which I signed 
                into law this spring, dedicated nearly $4 billion in 
                additional funding to confront this national crisis. My 
                Administration is committed to addressing all factors 
                fueling this drug crisis, which is devastating 
                communities across America, including steps to curb 
                over-prescription, expand access to treatment and 
                recovery programs, improve public education programs to 
                prevent illicit drug use before it begins, and to 
                strengthening domestic drug enforcement at our borders 
                and throughout our Nation. Alongside these massive and 
                historic United States efforts, I expect the 
                governments of countries where illicit drugs originate 
                and through which they transit to similarly strengthen 
                their commitments to reduce dangerous drug production 
                and trafficking.

                In this respect, I am deeply concerned that illicit 
                drug crops have expanded over successive years in 
                Colombia, Mexico, and Afghanistan, and are now at 
                record levels. Drug production and trafficking in these 
                three countries directly affect United States national 
                interests and the health and safety of American 
                citizens. Heroin originating from Mexico and cocaine 
                from Colombia are claiming thousands of lives annually 
                in the United States. Afghanistan's illicit opium 
                economy promotes corruption, funds the Taliban,

[[Page 50240]]

                and undermines that country's security, which thousands 
                of United States service men and women help defend. 
                Despite the efforts of law enforcement and security 
                forces, these countries are falling behind in the fight 
                to eradicate illicit crops and reduce drug production 
                and trafficking. These governments must redouble their 
                efforts to rise to the challenge posed by the criminal 
                organizations producing and trafficking these drugs, 
                and achieve greater progress over the coming year in 
                stopping and reversing illicit drug production and 
                trafficking. The United States will continue its strong 
                support for international efforts against drug 
                production and trafficking, as well as to strengthen 
                prevention and treatment efforts in the United States. 
                The urgency of our national drug epidemic requires 
                significant and measurable results immediately, in the 
                coming year and in the future.

                You are authorized and directed to submit this 
                designation, with the Bolivia and Venezuela memoranda 
                of justification, under section 706 of the FRAA, to the 
                Congress, and publish it in the Federal Register.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    Washington, September 11, 2018

[FR Doc. 2018-21806
Filed 10-3-18; 11:15 am]
Billing code 4710-10-P