Foreign Minister Colombia Laura Saravia on Monday urged the United Nations Narcotics Commission (CND) to remove the main ingredient of cocaine – coca leaves from its list of harmful substances.
Sarabia, representing Colombia at the 68th session of CND in Vienna, Austria, claimed during her speech that if coca leaves were removed from the list, it would be useful for industrial use in the production of fertilizers and drinks. Sarabia further argued that the removal of coca leaves did not mean a change in Colombia's drug combat policy, and instead called on the international community to “rethink” global drug policy.
“The evidence is overwhelming. Drug trafficking has slowed the development of our country, sacrificed millions of farmers, funded terrorist groups, and devastated important ecosystems such as the Amazon.” I said.
“Science will prove that coca leaves themselves are not harmful to health. They can only be taken away from drug traffickers if they take advantage of the potential industrial applications such as fertilizers and drinks,” she continued.
Colombia is the world's leading producer of cocaine, and has spent decades trying to eradicate local cocaine production by criminal groups such as the Colombian Revolutionary Army (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN) and Marxist terrorist organizations.
To produce cocaine, coca leaves must be harvested first and then undergo a chemical process. Drug traffickers buy coca paste and refine it into cocaine.
Coca leaves are one of several harmful substances listed in the United Nations 1961 A single treaty on drugs, which Colombia is signed by. Article 26 Of the 1961 treaty, if it is grown illegally, it is required to uproot all coca bushes that grow in the wild and destroy the bushes.
Unlike his predecessor, President Gustavopetro, a former member of the Marxist M19 terrorist group and Colombia's first leftist president, implemented a generous drug policy when he took office in August 2022.
Peter's policy has resulted in a dramatic surge in cocaine production, reaching its highest record level for over 20 years. 2023 According to UN estimates. Report published in July He pointed out that due to the increase in cocaine production in Colombia during Peter's management, the supply of ingredients is overwhelmingly high, and that there is a large amount of unsold coca pastes in Japan are “powdering up.”
Colombian officials last year claimed that drug attacks had “a significant increase” in Peter's first two years. New York Times He rebutted the claim, claiming that the increase in drug attacks was due to “a much more cocaine being produced” in the country.
Peter has it repeatedly I defended Cocaine use, drugs, According to For him, it is “less harmful” than sugar. February, a Controversial The six-hour government meeting was broadcast live on national television in Petro, which claimed that cocaine “is not worse than whiskey.” During the broadcast, Peter argued that cocaine is illegal because it is “produced in Latin America,” and suggested that if it is legal, it can be “sold like wine.”
In a speech to CND, Sarabia allegedly stated that from August 7, 2022 (the day Peter took office) to January 31, 2025, Colombia “destroyed more than 215,000 kilograms of hydrochloride, more than 215,000 kilograms of Coca bases and more than 454 kilograms of hydrochloride.” The Foreign Minister also called for a “rethinking” of global drug policy, arguing that “reforming the global drug regime does not mean normalizing drug trafficking, but provides more effective tools to address it.”
“We cannot continue to repeat past mistakes. For Colombia, refocusing this policy is a matter of life and peace,” Saravia said.
Immediately after attending CND's 68th session, Saravia spoke She insisted on Blu Radio in Colombia that her request to remove coca leaves from the UN list of harmful substances does not imply legalization of cocaine.
“This does not mean legalizing coca. That doesn't mean we're going to succumb to drug trafficking. Coca leaves have scientific uses. We don't legalize cocaine,” Saravia said.
Miguel Tonjano, retired colonel of Colombia's anti-drug police, criticized Saravia's demands remarks Gived to a local magazine Semana Monday evening. Tonjano, an expert on illegal crops, denounced the request for spreading across the country as “oxygen” in Colombian criminal structures, explaining that it effectively makes it possible to “use all Colombian coca” at its disposal to buy and refine cocaine.
“It basically gives those organizations the opportunity to increase their finances,” Tonjano said.
Former Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon Bueno criticized Saravia's demands on social media on Monday postThe request issued by the Foreign Minister is described as “a great favor for those who destroy tropical forests and pollute rivers.”
“More than anything, I've seen 2026 and have a great fondness for political corruption,” Pinzón Bueno said. “The integration of the Nalco state will cause terrible damage to the people of Colombia and the fame and credibility of Colombia overseas.”
Christian K. Calzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
