US President Joe Biden Certifies Colombia For Continued Drug Interdiction Assistance

Yesterday the White House published Presidential Determination # 2024-10 regarding continuation of US drug interdiction assistance to the government of Colombia. Under US law, the President must certify to Congress on a periodic basis that Colombia is collaborating in an appropriate fashion while protecting human rights.

The certification memorandum reads as follows:

Presidential Determination

No.        2024-10

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

SUBJECT:       Continuation of U.S. Drug Interdiction Assistance to the Government of Colombia

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, and pursuant to the authority vested in me by section 1012 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995, as amended (22 U.S.C. 2291-4), I hereby certify, with respect to Colombia, that:  (1) interdiction of aircraft reasonably suspected to be primarily engaged in illicit drug trafficking in that country’s airspace is necessary, because of the extraordinary threat posed by illicit drug trafficking to the national security of that country; and (2) Colombia has appropriate procedures in place to protect against innocent loss of life in the air and on the ground in connection with such interdiction, which includes effective means to identify and warn an aircraft before the use of force is directed against the aircraft.

The Secretary of State is authorized and directed to publish this determination in the Federal Register and to notify the Congress of this determination.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.