Colombia's cocaine production hits all-time high in 2022, Petro calls for new strategy

According to a United Nations report released on Monday (September 11), Colombia, known as the world's largest cocaine producer, set a record in 2022 for an all-time high cocaine production and coca-leaf cultivation, exceeding the figures from 2021.The release of the UN report comes amid the Colombian government's efforts under President Gustavo Petro to devise a strategy to combat drug consumption and trafficking. President Petro proposed the idea of forming an alliance among Latin American nations to collectively address drug trafficking issues with a fresh strategy.

The report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) revealed that coca-leaf cultivation witnessed a substantial increase of 13 per cent compared to 2021, covering an expansive 230,000 hectares of land.

Rising cocaine production

In this period, cocaine production surged from 1,400 tonnes to an alarming 1,738 tonnes, representing the highest figures since the UN initiated its data monitoring efforts in 2001. A significant portion of Colombian cocaine finds its way into the United States and Europe.

As far as the geographical distribution of coca cultivation is concerned, nearly two-thirds are concentrated in the southern departments of Narino and Putumayo, bordering Ecuador. These regions have been grappling with drug gang-related violence.

Additionally, North Santander, situated along the Venezuelan border, also saw substantial coca cultivation. Approximately half of drug crops were discovered in Indigenous reserves, with around 10 percent in forest reserves and five percent in natural parks, the UN report said.

Government's response

During the Latin American and Caribbean Conference on Drugs in Cali, Colombian President Gustavo Petro advocated for a unified approach across Latin American nations to tackle drug trafficking.This is a fresh approach that entails looking at drug consumption as a matter of public health, rather than as what he labeled as an ineffective militarised strategy.

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"What I propose is to have a different and unified voice that defends our societies, our future, and our history and to stop repeating a failed discourse that has already failed," he said urging to step away from move that leads to "immeasurable bloodshed and pain in Latin America."

Since taking office in 2022, President Petro has shown interest in the possibility of legalising marijuana in Colombia.

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