We_PRP do_VBP n't_RB know_VB who_WP is_VBZ winning_VBG the_DT drug_NN war_NN in_IN Latin_NNP America_NNP ,_, but_CC we_PRP know_VBP who_WP 's_VBZ losing_VBG it_PRP --_: the_DT press_NN ._. 
Over_IN the_DT past_JJ six_CD months_NNS ,_, six_CD journalists_NNS have_VBP been_VBN killed_VBN and_CC 10_CD kidnapped_VBN by_IN drug_NN traffickers_NNS or_CC leftist_JJ guerrillas_NNS --_: who_WP often_RB are_VBP one_CD and_CC the_DT same_JJ --_: in_IN Colombia_NNP ._. 
Over_IN the_DT past_JJ 12_CD years_NNS ,_, at_IN least_JJS 40_CD journalists_NNS have_VBP died_VBN there_RB ._. 
The_DT attacks_NNS have_VBP intensified_VBN since_IN the_DT Colombian_JJ government_NN began_VBD cracking_VBG down_RB on_IN the_DT traffickers_NNS in_IN August_NNP ,_, trying_VBG to_TO prevent_VB their_PRP$ takeover_NN of_IN the_DT country_NN ._. 

The_DT slaughter_NN in_IN Colombia_NNP was_VBD very_RB much_RB on_IN the_DT minds_NNS of_IN 450_CD editors_NNS and_CC publishers_NNS from_IN Latin_NNP America_NNP ,_, the_DT United_NNP States_NNPS ,_, the_DT Caribbean_NNP and_CC Canada_NNP attending_VBG the_DT 45th_JJ general_JJ assembly_NN of_IN the_DT Inter-_NNP American_NNP Press_NNP Association_NNP in_IN Monterrey_NNP ,_, Mexico_NNP ,_, this_DT week_NN ._. 
On_IN Tuesday_NNP the_DT conference_NN got_VBD word_NN of_IN another_DT atrocity_NN ,_, the_DT assassination_NN in_IN Medellin_NNP of_IN two_CD employees_NNS of_IN El_NNP Espectador_NNP ,_, Colombia_NNP 's_POS second-largest_JJ newspaper_NN ._. 
The_DT paper_NN 's_POS local_JJ administrator_NN ,_, Maria_NNP Luz_NNP Lopez_NNP ,_, was_VBD shot_VBN dead_JJ ,_, and_CC her_PRP$ mother_NN wounded_VBN ,_, while_IN her_PRP$ car_NN was_VBD stopped_VBN for_IN a_DT red_JJ light_NN ._. 
An_DT hour_NN later_RB ,_, the_DT paper_NN 's_POS circulation_NN manager_NN ,_, Miguel_NNP Soler_NNP ,_, was_VBD shot_VBN and_CC killed_VBN near_IN his_PRP$ home_NN ._. 

The_DT drug_NN lords_NNS who_WP claimed_VBD responsibility_NN said_VBD they_PRP would_MD blow_VB up_RP the_DT Bogota_NNP newspaper_NN 's_POS offices_NNS if_IN it_PRP continued_VBD to_TO distribute_VB in_IN Medellin_NNP ._. 
They_PRP bombed_VBD the_DT Bogota_NNP offices_NNS last_JJ month_NN ,_, destroying_VBG its_PRP$ computer_NN and_CC causing_VBG $2.5_NN million_CD in_IN damage_NN ._. 

El_NNP Espectador_NNP has_VBZ been_VBN a_DT special_JJ target_NN because_IN of_IN the_DT extraordinary_JJ courage_NN of_IN its_PRP$ publisher_NN and_CC his_PRP$ staff_NN ._. 
At_IN Monterrey_NNP ,_, publisher_NN Luis_NNP Gabriel_NNP Cano_NNP ,_, although_IN shaken_VBN by_IN the_DT murders_NNS ,_, issued_VBD a_DT statement_NN saying_VBG :_: "_'' We_PRP will_MD not_RB cease_VB our_PRP$ fight_NN against_IN drug_NN trafficking_NN ._. 
They_PRP want_VBP to_TO terrify_VB the_DT press_NN and_CC in_IN particular_JJ El_NNP Espectador_NNP because_IN it_PRP has_VBZ always_RB been_VBN a_DT torchbearer_NN in_IN this_DT war_NN ._. "_'' 
This_DT comes_VBZ from_IN a_DT man_NN whose_WP$ brother_NN ,_, Guillermo_NNP ,_, was_VBD murdered_VBN in_IN 1986_CD ._. 

The_DT publishers_NNS in_IN Monterrey_NNP command_NN no_DT battalions_NNS ,_, but_CC they_PRP agreed_VBD to_TO express_VB their_PRP$ outrage_NN with_IN editorials_NNS in_IN today_NN 's_POS editions_NNS ._. 
Many_JJ will_MD use_VB a_DT common_JJ editorial_NN ._. 
A_DT final_JJ statement_NN yesterday_NN said_VBD :_: "_'' While_IN some_DT advances_NNS are_VBP being_VBG made_VBN in_IN nations_NNS throughout_IN the_DT hemisphere_NN ,_, the_DT state_NN of_IN press_NN freedom_NN in_IN the_DT Americas_NNPS still_RB must_MD be_VB regarded_VBN as_RB grim_JJ as_IN long_RB as_IN journalists_NNS and_CC their_PRP$ families_NNS are_VBP subject_JJ to_TO the_DT crudest_JJS form_NN of_IN censorship_NN :_: death_NN by_IN assassination_NN ._. "_'' 

The_DT report_NN charged_VBN that_IN Panama_NNP 's_POS Manuel_NNP Noriega_NNP is_VBZ not_RB only_RB in_IN league_NN with_IN the_DT drug_NN traffickers_NNS but_CC also_RB is_VBZ bullying_VBG the_DT press_NN as_RB never_RB before_RB ._. 
"_'' Noriega_NNP has_VBZ closed_VBN every_DT independent_JJ newspaper_NN ,_, radio_NN and_CC television_NN station_NN and_CC arrested_VBN ,_, tortured_JJ or_CC forced_VBN into_IN exile_NN a_DT long_JJ list_NN of_IN reporters_NNS ,_, "_'' the_DT statement_NN declared_VBD ._. 

It_PRP added_VBD :_: "_'' In_IN Cuba_NNP ,_, public_JJ enemy_NN No._NN 1_CD of_IN press_NN freedoms_NNS in_IN the_DT hemisphere_NN ,_, repression_NN of_IN journalists_NNS both_DT Cuban_JJ and_CC foreign_JJ is_VBZ worse_RBR than_IN ever_RB ._. "_'' 
And_CC in_IN Nicaragua_NNP ,_, promises_NNS of_IN press_NN freedom_NN by_IN the_DT Sandinistas_NNS "_'' have_VBP not_RB materialized_VBN ._. "_'' 

As_IN it_PRP happens_VBZ ,_, the_DT four_CD countries_NNS cited_VBD ,_, Colombia_NNP ,_, Cuba_NNP ,_, Panama_NNP and_CC Nicaragua_NNP ,_, are_VBP not_RB only_RB where_WRB the_DT press_NN is_VBZ under_IN greatest_JJS attack_NN but_CC also_RB are_VBP linked_VBN by_IN the_DT drug_NN trade_NN and_CC left-wing_JJ politics_NNS ._. 
Noriega_NNP is_VBZ close_JJ to_TO Castro_NNP and_CC may_MD once_RB have_VB been_VBN his_PRP$ agent_NN ._. 
Sandinistas_NNP Thomas_NNP Borge_NNP and_CC the_DT Ortega_NNP brothers_NNS are_VBP Castro_NNP proteges_NNS ;_: he_PRP backed_VBD their_PRP$ takeover_NN of_IN Nicaragua_NNP ._. 
In_IN Colombia_NNP ,_, the_DT drug-financed_JJ guerrillas_NNS trying_VBG to_TO seize_VB the_DT country_NN and_CC destroy_VB democracy_NN include_VBP M-_NNP 19_CD ,_, which_WDT Castro_NNP has_VBZ clearly_RB backed_VBN ._. 

Robert_NNP Merkel_NNP ,_, a_DT former_JJ U.S._NNP attorney_NN handling_VBG drug_NN indictments_NNS in_IN Florida_NNP ,_, does_VBZ n't_RB think_VB for_IN a_DT minute_NN that_IN Castro_NNP 's_POS much_RB publicized_VBN trials_NNS of_IN high_JJ officials_NNS engaged_VBN in_IN the_DT drug_NN trade_NN mean_NN he_PRP has_VBZ broken_VBN off_RP with_IN the_DT Medellin_NNP drug_NN cartel_NN ._. 
"_'' If_IN the_DT cartel_NN succeeds_VBZ in_IN blackmailing_VBG the_DT Colombian_JJ authorities_NNS into_IN negotiations_NNS ,_, the_DT cartel_NN will_MD be_VB in_IN control_NN and_CC Fidel_NNP can_MD exploit_VB his_PRP$ past_JJ relationships_NNS with_IN them_PRP ,_, "_'' he_PRP told_VBD the_DT Journal_NNP 's_POS David_NNP Asman_NNP recently_RB ._. 

The_DT struggle_NN against_IN the_DT drug_NN lords_NNS in_IN Colombia_NNP will_MD be_VB a_DT near_JJ thing_NN ._. 
This_DT week_NN ,_, the_DT government_NN arrested_VBD Jose_NNP Abello_NNP Silva_NNP ,_, said_VBD to_TO be_VB the_DT fourth-ranking_JJ cartel_NN leader_NN ._. 
He_PRP will_MD probably_RB be_VB extradited_VBN to_TO the_DT U.S._NNP for_IN trial_NN under_IN an_DT extradition_NN treaty_NN President_NNP Virgilia_NNP Barco_NNP has_VBZ revived_VBN ._. 
Later_RB ,_, another_DT high-ranking_JJ trafficker_NN ,_, Leonidas_NNP Vargas_NNP ,_, was_VBD arrested_VBN and_CC 1,000_CD pounds_NNS of_IN dynamite_NN seized_VBN ._. 
Mr._NN Barco_NNP has_VBZ refused_VBN U.S._NNP troops_NNS or_CC advisers_NNS but_CC has_VBZ accepted_VBN U.S._NNP military_JJ aid_NN ._. 

President_NNP Bush_NNP has_VBZ agreed_VBN to_TO meet_VB within_IN 90_CD days_NNS with_IN Mr._NN Barco_NNP ,_, President_NNP Alan_NNP Garcia_NNP of_IN Peru_NNP and_CC President_NNP Jaime_NNP Paz_NNP Zamora_NNP of_IN Bolivia_NNP to_TO discuss_VB the_DT drug_NN problem_NN ._. 
It_PRP might_MD not_RB be_VB a_DT bad_JJ idea_NN to_TO do_VB that_DT sooner_RBR ,_, rather_RB than_IN later_RB ._. 
After_IN the_DT Panama_NNP fiasco_NN ,_, they_PRP will_MD need_VB some_DT reassurance_NN ._. 
Certainly_RB ,_, the_DT Colombian_JJ press_NN is_VBZ much_JJ in_IN need_NN of_IN that_DT ._. 

