This Wednesday, September 17, the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, made a new speech to talk about figures, after the reactification of the United States to the country, in the fight against drugs. The president said, among other things, that the way in which North America has been leading these actions has not been effective.
Therefore, he insisted that this country must learn from Colombia, that It has implemented the voluntary eradication of coca leaf crops, which is the raw material of cocaine (as drug).
See more: see Petro’s speech on the descrtification live
In that same thread, Petro said: “The cocaine market is nothing more than the United States and EuropeI invite you to make a war against drug traffickers and invite Europe to the same; And, in South America we must begin to teach how it is done, which does not have to measure in dead, but in prosperity of peasant families of Colombia, Peru and Bolivia, and it has to be measured in terms of growth of love in the society of the United States. “
Similarly, ending his speech, the Colombian head of state pointed out, directly speaking to Donald Trump: “It does not threaten me. Here I wait for it if you want. But I do not accept invasions, I do not accept missiles, I do not accept murders. Come here to speak intelligence and talk with real figures. “
The president said that this measure taken by the American considers it “an injustice against the country that has put more blood to stop cocaine in the US and Europe. It is also a personal insult, if after Luis Carlos Galán someone has faced drug trafficking, I have been, at the expense of my safety and that of my family. When they attack a whole society, you have to defend it. Colombia’s sovereignty is not delivered. ”
He also said that if the people of the United States “want to poison with cocaine or fentanyl, the Colombian peasant is not guilty.”
He also said that during the Government of Iván Duque the hectares of coca cultivation decreased, but He argued that only 154,000 hectares fell to 142,000 hectares.
See more: ‘Part of what was achieved with the exemption was for the private sector’: Amcham Colombia
The Colombian president spoke directly to the US President and indicated that this eradication (forced) did not serve, and even questioned that, with his policies, Trump seeks to help drug traffickers.
Petro argued that the hectares of the cultivation of the coca leaf increased after the pandemic in the country.
Eradication figures of coca illicit crops
Colombia Presidency
“You (Trump) have said that the current government does not collaborate, Although I congratulate my army, not his (of the United States), and I congratulate my police that he has done more than with his orders that are absolutely wrong, “he said.
See more: USA. Recognize your role in drug problem, ask for joint work and extradition
Regarding forced eradication, he pointed out that it is a practice that matches police in Colombiatherefore he said that voluntary eradication is better, since, he said, with forced eradication many people die.
As for the manual eradication of coca crops in hectares, The president indicated that in his government he has been growing, reaching 2,136 hectares in November 2024“If we continue with our policy we will exceed the figure in what remains of this year.”
Similarly, the president referred to the National Crystroxure Replacement Plan developed by former President Iván Duque and pointed out that his officials took a year to reorganize said initiative. But that, at present, It has been reached so far at 22,433 hectares.
For the president it is not about anti -drug policies but a war against the people, “What there should be is a war against drug trafficking“
“You have not done anything in relation to reducing consumption, but left it in something worse, of cocaine and fentanyl, that’s why you have 100,000 dead per fentanil a yearand hopefully no Colombian consumes, “he said.
“What is demonstrating this, Mr. Trump, is that his entire policy of 50 years failed. His war was defeated by war and drug trafficking, and by a society without love without affection. Our method is better, Mr. Trump, I invite him – I am not spiteful – to take off those friendships of the mafias And its Latin political spokesmen and listens to the rulers of Latin America that we have more experience than those mafia friends, “Petro added.
Similarly, President Petro referred to his time as a congressman: “I I made 35% of the senators go to jail, with debate and risk my life; It is not with missiles or ships They are killing innocent young people, that is called murder. It is intelligence, and putting Latin American youth to work on the decrease in narcotics. ”
In a row, the head of state talked about the number of deaths that occur on behalf of drugs, citing the example of the United States and the consumption of fentanyl: “One million Latin Americans killed in the war against drugs and in the United States are 100,000 dead by Fentanilo, Put that amount in 10 years, and if you do not reduce the fentanyl from here to 10 years you will have a million dead. You put the substance as the object of war, fetish of capital“
Eradication figures of coca illicit crops
Colombia Presidency
“Colombia Peru and Bolivia we produce cocaine; But only (in the national territory) 10 municipalities produce it, it is on the Pacific coast, because They are the poorest population in Colombia, because there the young people have no opportunitiesthey do not have a public university, and I am putting public university, therefore, voluntarily the peasant has registered, with about 22,000 hectares of crop substitution, this will reduce by 30,000 hectares the production of coca leaf, “the president concluded.
Valentina Delgadillo Abello
Portfolio journalist
