President Gustavo Petro recently proposed to consider in the country sReplace coca crops with others, but gradually.
A spokesperson for the United States Department of State told El Tiempo what was the position of that country regarding the president’s proposal. In principle, they warn the president that he must proceed “cautiously” before going ahead with your proposal.
(In context: Petro proposes to maintain coca crops and advance in substitution).
Likewise, Washington indicated that, in any case, an immediate transition from one strategy to another should not be made and that forced eradication must continue as long as there is no viable crop substitution program.
“We warn the Petro administration against immediately transitioning from a forced to a voluntary eradication strategy to control the growth of illicit crops“said the US official to EL TIEMPO.
He also clarified: “It remains important to have a fully funded and well-designed substitution program before moving to (voluntary) substitution as the primary means of crop control. Forced eradication continues so far and is expected to continue.” while a viable crop substitution program is developed”.
The official also explained that the United States will continue to work in collaboration with Colombia to “implement a holistic approach to address counternarcotics challenges. This includes efforts in comprehensive rural security, justice and development, environmental protection, and integrated drug supply reduction. In initiating this process, the use of all technically and financially viable tools remains essential to achieve the President’s commitment to prevent the growth of coca cultivation.“.
(Furthermore: ‘The peso fell because cocaine dollars no longer reach the country’: Petro).
In addition, They thanked the country for continuing to comply with its international commitments that are included in the treaties, such as drug control, and the norms of the UN conventions.
The President spoke of gradualism, alleging that the peasants could not be eliminated from their means of support (coca crops) mieWhile the substitute crops did not begin to bear fruit.
According to Michael Shifter, former president of the Inter-American Dialogue and a Georgetown professor, this proposal will not go down well in Washington. “Here much importance is given to eradication and to the idea that this process should continue without being conditioned by the fact that alternative crops are working. Among other things because these can take a long time and in the meantime a lot of coca will continue to be produced”says Shifter.
(See: Colombia received US$1 billion from the World Bank for climate actions).
BRIEFCASE
With information from EL TIEMPO*
