Killer Coca After failing for years to curb South America’s coca leaf crops, U.S. offi- cials are weighing proposals by scien- tists to genetically alter the plant so that it no longer produces cocaine. “Given the choice of adversaries, I’d rather slug it out with a vegetable than with the Medellfn cartel,” said Boston physicist Russell Seitz. Miami Herald June 14, 1990 So Try Socialism [President] Salinas hopes that [free trade] will do for Mexico what the Eu- ropean Economic Community did for Spain. [He said:] “When I read that Spain, with a socialist government, gets $10 billion a year in foreign invest- ment, I ask myself if we are not missing anything.” The Economist October 6, 1990 Mad Scientists “If this is a laboratory for democ- racy, then the test tube is broken.” Mexican columnist The Economist November 17, 1990 Fat Chance Even before the balloting [for state elections in Mexico], leaders of the PRI…acknowledged that they had more at stake than simply victory or defeat. “We not only have to win the elec- tions,” Ignacio Pichardo Pagaza, the state governor and a leading PRI offi- cial, said before the vote. “We also have to convince public opinion that we won them cleanly.” New York Times November 20, 1990 Quayle Unveils New Eradication Policy Mr. Quayle.. vigorously denied re- cent news reports that the United States plans to send troops to the Andes to stem coca production. “I’ve also read these false reports that somehow there are going to be military operations in the Andes and Peru,” Mr. Quayle said. “I would like to eradicate, if I may, the idea of the militarization of the war on drugs.” New York Times August 9, 1990 Star Students “There are a lot of ways to get killed down here and our best survivors have been the [Green] Berets. It only makes common sense to let them go on combat missions with their newly trained and equipped anti-drug teams. School is one thing. These jungles are another.” Southern Command special operations staff officer Army Times October 6, 1989 If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Brazil Latin American leaders pledged to give Mr. Bush a warm welcome [on his recent South American tour]. “He understands and respects us,” said President Luis Lacalle of Uruguay. “He knows where we are on the map, and we like that.” New York Times December 2, 1990 Rousing Welcome Sometimes it was hard to hear Presi- dent Bush’s message on democracy, what with all the bombs, gunfire, prison breakouts, and military rebellions ex- ploding across Latin America this week. New York Times December 9, 1990 Not the Country Club The President had hoped to mix with the crowd outside the Chilean Con- gress on Thursday. But as he started to get out of his limousine, a young man shouted a nasty phrase in Spanish and gave Mr. Bush the international sign of ridicule. “Things are going sour here,” an American advance man hissed into his wrist radio as Chilean soldiers with night sticks hustled the protester away.” The President’s mix-and-mingle was abruptly cancelled and he drove past the crowd. New York Times December 9, 1990 Correction The photograph which appeared on page 27 of the last issue of the Report (Volume XXIV, Number 3) was inad- vertently misidentified. The caption should have read: “Pro-government demonstration at the time of the Mariel boat-lift.”
