The Brazilian and Colombian presidents, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Alvaro Uribe, declared on Monday in Sao Paulo, that their governments are against drugs decriminalization, adding that a more efficient fight against drugs consumption is one of the conditions to overcome drug traffic.

During a meeting at Sao Paulo Industry Federation (Fiesp) seat on Monday, both presidents agreed that drug consumption in developed countries makes the fight against drug traffic more difficult in Brazil and Colombia.

In his speech closing the Brazil-Colombia Business Seminar, Uribe has reiterated his criticism to drug decriminalization supporters and denounced that liberating drugs for personal use can be somehow used as excuse by drug dealers.

"We have in Colombia a new phenomenon, the 'micro-traffic.' At the present time, violence is being provoked by small groups, because big groups are largely broken," he asserted.

On his turn, the Brazilian president has expressed similar opinion during a press conference. He has been asked if he agrees with the Brazilian ex-president Fernando Henrique Cardoso, who supports that marijuana consumption should be legalized.

"I don't think that drugs legalization would solve the consumption problem. If rich countries had more rigid policies towards consumers, it would be easier to reduce drug use in the world," said Lula da Silva.

He also stressed that he has proposed to his counterparts from the Union of South American Nations (Unasul) to create a council against drug traffic to intensify combined actions and gain moral authority to demand that rich countries combat drug consumption internally.

"We have to be stricter and prevent people from consuming; there is an education program to be put into action. Every day we are tempted to believe (that fight against drug traffic) is a lost cause, but we cannot give up," he emphasized.

The Brazilian president has commented the events occurred in Rio de Janeiro this weekend: 15 people have been killed during a conflict between drug dealers and the police.

Lula da Silva condemned the killing of policemen and innocent people and emphasized that his government has offered all the necessary aid to Rio de Janeiro authorities.

In his opinion, more investments should be done in the "favelas " (poor neighborhoods) in Rio, aiming to improve education, culture and anything else that could represent a stronger presence of the State.