The head of the Venezuelan Anti-drug Bureau (ONA), Néstor Luis Reverol, rebutted the statements made by the US Drug Czar John P. Walters, and stressed that anti-drug efforts "should not be used as a political weapon."

Walters said last week in Bogota that Venezuela was not taking efficient moves to fight drug smuggling.

"It is quite noticeable that the US authorities are claiming that Venezuela is not contributing to the fight against drugs for the third consecutive year. However, a United Nations report about drug traffic ranks Venezuela third among the countries in the world with the largest drug seizures," Reverol declared.

In his view, the US recent remarks that Venezuela is failing to make anti-drug efforts come amidst a communicational strategy, "aimed at undermining the country and misleading the public," adding that such comments are not true.

Reverol reminded that joint anti-drug efforts with the US were discontinued in 2005.