Urgent: The United States reacts to the increase in crops and Petro’s drug plan

In a long statement offered to this newspaper, the United States gave its first official reaction to President Gustavo Petro’s new anti-drug proposal and expressed, in passing, their “concern” about the increase in illicit crops documented by the United Nations.

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“The levels of coca and cocaine production reported by the UN, as well as the upward trend itself, are worrying. The United States and Colombia have in common the goal of reducing coca cultivation and cocaine production, and we will continue to cooperate to that effect,” a State Department spokesperson told this newspaper.

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According to the spokesperson, the new UN report – according to which in the country there would be some 230 thousand hectares of coca planted in the year 2022 – demonstrates the need “to adopt firm interdiction measures to compensate for the decline in eradication”.

In other words, if the Petro government wants to reduce eradication it has to compensate with more narcotics interdiction.

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The official highlighted that despite the increase in crops in 2022, its growth was lower than in 2021 when there was an increase of more than 30 percent compared to 2020. In 2022 the increase was 13 percent.

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In relation to a question from this newspaper about the anti-drug plan that the government presented this Saturday, The spokesman said the US understands that the challenges posed by drug trafficking and production are complex and that Washington is also “evolving” in its approach..

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Likewise, that international commitments in this matter must be met and that the United States will continue to pursue drug traffickers.

The US reaction coincides with the trip to Washington of the Minister of Justice to explain the new drug policy of Gustavo Petro’s government.

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This is his full response about Petro’s plan:
“The United States supports efforts to find lasting solutions that lead to peace throughout Colombia and condemns those who undermine Colombia’s hard-won peace agreement through drug trafficking. Effectively address drug trafficking and production in the era Modern modernity requires regional and global solutions, and the United States welcomes dialogue and collaboration to that end.

The transnational organized crime and drug trafficking environment, along with the associated challenges, is more complicated than ever. We understand that our collective approach must evolve, and it has.

On the demand side, the United States is focused on expanding evidence-based practices in prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery to professionals working in the field to prevent and treat substance use disorders.

On the supply side, the United States is focused not only on the illicit cultivation of crops and the illicit production and trafficking of any drug, including synthetic ones, but also on addressing the root causes of why people engage in these. activities.

It is important that we continue to work together to uphold the UN drug treaty framework and fulfill our obligations under it.

The United States government maintains a great interest in bringing drug traffickers to justice and avoiding impunity for acts committed by terrorists and other illegal armed groups.

SERGIO GÓMEZ MASERI
EL TIEMPO correspondent
Washington
On Twitter @sergom68