Watson Events

Drug Wars in the Americas: Looking Back and Thinking Ahead

“Drug Wars in the Americas: Looking Back and Thinking Ahead”

40 years after Nixon declared the “War on Drugs,” what are its successes and failings? What are alternative policies for drug control?

A conference featuring Alan Bersin, Assistant Secretary of International Affairs, US Department of Homeland Security; Carlos Fuentes, Mexican writer; Cesar Gaviria, former President of Colombia and former Secretary General of the OAS; and Ricardo Lagos, former President of Chile. For more information see http://angle.watsoninstitute.org/drugwars/.

April 12, Watson Institute

9:00  Welcome and Introductory Remarks 
Richard Snyder, Director, Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies 

9:10  Government Responses to Drug Trafficking and Violence: The Role of Law Enforcement in the US and Mexico
Eduardo Guerrero, Eric Olson & Philip B. Heymann
Chair: Peter Andreas 

10:45  Rethinking Drug Policies in the Americas I: New Ideas and Alternative Approaches
Ethan Nadelmann, Coletta Youngers, Glenn Loury & Beau Kilmer
Chair: Richard Snyder 

2:00  Looking Back: What Can History Teach Us about Future Possibilities for Drug Control Policies?
Paul Gootenberg, Peter Andreas & Francisco Thoumi
Chair: Pedro Dal Bo 

4:00  Keynote Address 
Drug Policies in the Americas: A New Paradigm
Cesar Gaviria Trujillo, former President of Colombia, former Secretary General of the Organization of American States 
Location: Martinos Auditorium, Granoff Center

6:00  Roundtable 
Drug Wars in the Americas: What Have We Learned after 40 years?
Alan Bersin, Carlos Fuentes & Cesar Gaviria Trujillo 
Location: Martinos Auditorium, Granoff Center


April 13, Watson Institute

9:00  Rethinking Drug Policies in the Americas II: Lessons from Colombia
Gustavo Duncan, Daniel Mejia, Eduardo Moncada & Diana Bocarejo
Chair & Discussant: Richard Snyder 

10:45  Rethinking Drug Policies in the Americas III: Comparative Perspectives
Jose Miguel Cruz, Angelica Duran-Martinez, Desmond Arias & John Walsh
Chair & Discussant: Deborah Yashar 

2:00  Keynote Panel
Borders, Security and US-Mexican Relations
Alan Bersin, US Dept. of Homeland Security 
Gustavo Mohar, Undersecretary of Government, Mexico

3:45  Rethinking Drug Policies in the Americas IV: Lessons from and for Mexico
Guilermo Trejo, Viridiana Rios & Chappell Lawson
Chair & Discussant: Blanca Heredia