Brazil and Bolivia discuss bilateral cooperation in criminal matters

October 27, 2010 - The fight against organized crime in South America must be a shared responsibility. Representatives of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for Brazil and the Southern Cone (UNODC), the Federal Police of Brazil, members of the judiciary, diplomats and officials from central agencies in the field of international legal cooperation in Bolivia and Brazil opened today, 27, the 3rd International Seminar on Suppression of Organized Crime - Bilateral Cooperation in Criminal Matters, Brazil - Bolivia.
In the opening ceremony, the representative of UNODC for Brazil and the Southern Cone, Bo Mathiasen, stressed the importance of trust and commitment of everyone to fight organized crime in both countries. "The basis of cooperation to fight organized crime is to promote mutual trust which allows joint work, exchange of experiences between countries and an in-depth discussion of the use of investigative techniques with all stakeholders in the system research and criminal justice, "said the representative of the UNODC, and added:"Often, the effectiveness of laws and multilateral instruments depends much more on those who interpret and apply the law in everyday life", he said.
The director of the Brazilian Federal Polcie Department for Combating Organized Crime, Roberto Troncon, said that Bolivia is a strategic partner for Brazil in the fight against organized crime in the region. "Bolivia, like other South American countries, is a strategic partner. Us, in South America, are the ones who experience the problems of the region. There is no market without consumption. Therefore, the responsibility must be shared. We advocate for shared responsibility and in this sense, we, the South American countries are the most interested ones", he said.
The seminar is the result of a partnership between UNODC and the Brazilian Federal Police and is carried until the 29th , in Brasilia. The meeting aims at deepening the cooperation process between Bolivia and Brazil through the exchange of experiences and information and at making proposals for the improvement and efficiency in fighting organized crime.

As custodians of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, UNODC has the mandate to assist member countries in the constant improvement of their national legislation on the subject and to promote the exchange of good practices among countries, through international cooperation.

(Photo: Gilmar Félix)

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