====article begins====
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/542/ecuador_pardons_drug_mules Drug War Chronicle - world's leading drug policy newsletter Latin America: Ecuador Assembly Pardons Hundreds of Drug Mules - view<http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/542/ecuador_pardons_drug_mules> - translation <http://stopthedrugwar.org/node/13195/translation> [image: Printer Friendly Version]<http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/542/ecuador_pardons_drug_mules?print> Printer Friendly Version<http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/542/ecuador_pardons_drug_mules?print> [image: Email this Article] <http://stopthedrugwar.org/forward/13195> Email this Article <http://stopthedrugwar.org/forward/13195> from Drug War Chronicle <http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle>, Issue #542, 7/11/08 <http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/542> Ecuador's constitutional assembly last Friday pardoned hundreds of small-time drug couriers currently sitting in Ecuadorian prisons. Last year, Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa proposed the pardons and other drug sentencing reforms, saying it was absurd to sentence low-level couriers to more than a decade in prison for as little as 3.5 ounces of cocaine. [image: http://stopthedrugwar.org/files/correa.jpg] Rafael Correa The constitutional assembly took over legislative power in the country after suspending the nation's Congress last year. Under the assembly's action, prisoners who had been convicted of carrying 4.4 pounds (2 kilograms) of drugs or less, had served at least 10% of their sentences or one year in prison, and were not repeat offenders were pardoned. Ernesto Pazmino, director of Ecuador's public defender's office, told the Associated Press<http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gypdt-8i2Lc8iun7vfc2rOj2PG7AD91OPGSO0>the application process was to begin this week, and the government has 30 days to release eligible prisoners. "The president has come through with his promise, and we appreciate him and the assembly members," Carlo Aragundi, head of a prisoners' organization at a jail in Quito, told the AP. Aragundi estimated that as many as 1,200 prisoners may be eligible. Although Ecuador produces almost no coca, it is sandwiched between Colombia and Peru, the world's number one and two coca and cocaine producers, and is frequently used as a transit country for cocaine headed to North America. President Correa acknowledged last year that his own father had spent three years in a US prison on drug charges. Bookmark/Search this post with: [image: digg] digg<http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http%3A%2F%2Fstopthedrugwar.org%2Fchronicle%2F542%2Fecuador_pardons_drug_mules&title=Latin+America%3A+Ecuador+Assembly+Pardons+Hundreds+of+Drug+Mules>| [image: reddit] reddit<http://reddit.com/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fstopthedrugwar.org%2Fchronicle%2F542%2Fecuador_pardons_drug_mules&title=Latin+America%3A+Ecuador+Assembly+Pardons+Hundreds+of+Drug+Mules> *Drug War Issues* Cocaine <http://stopthedrugwar.org/taxonomy/term/138> - Coca <http://stopthedrugwar.org/taxonomy/term/33> - Andean Drug War<http://stopthedrugwar.org/taxonomy/term/10> *Politics & Advocacy* Politics Outside US<http://stopthedrugwar.org/taxonomy/term/51> - email this page <http://stopthedrugwar.org/forward/13195> <- previous article in this issue<http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/542/texas_legislature_john_whitmire_drugs>| next article in this issue -><http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/542/iraq_key_conduit_global_drug_trade> Sanity in Ecuador<http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/542/ecuador_pardons_drug_mules#comment-15693> Comment posted by Anonymous on Fri, 07/11/2008 - 1:46pm Maybe with a shining example government sponsored insanity will begin to end in other "pais"s as well. reply <http://stopthedrugwar.org/comment/reply/13195/15693> | email this page <http://stopthedrugwar.org/forward/13195> the sky is falling<http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/542/ecuador_pardons_drug_mules#comment-15712> Comment posted by Anonymous on Sat, 07/12/2008 - 2:46am I can hear Walters crying from here.The insanity of drug prohibition is finally beginning to crumble.I can tell by the reaction from the right wing fanatics that write in the local paper.They have been circling the wagons for months.Not that that's any reason to let the guard down.These people are vicious and mean as hell. reply <http://stopthedrugwar.org/comment/reply/13195/15712> | email this page <http://stopthedrugwar.org/forward/13195> Post new comment ... =====end of copied article=== --- eco mann, Cannabis Action: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/cannabisaction http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/mmmworld Global Marijuana March: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Marijuana_March http://cannabis.wikia.com/wiki/Global_Marijuana_March http://cannabis.wikia.com/wiki/Global_Marijuana_March_2008 WeedWiki - a Wikia wiki: http://cannabis.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page Charts: http://gallery.marihemp.com/charts Iraqi casualty photos (graphic): http://images.google.com/images?q=iraqi+casualties Casualties, charts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_Iraq_War ---
