Petro Attacks UN Report on Colombia’s Illicit Crops
- Colombian President Gustavo Petro strongly condemned a United Nations report assessing the state of illicit crops in the country, accusing the UNODC of "scientific stupidity" and alleging the...
- On November 13, 2023, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released its annual report on coca cultivation in Colombia.
- President Petro reacted sharply to the report,publicly criticizing the UNODC's methodology and conclusions.
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President Petro Criticizes UN Report on Colombia’s Illicit Crops
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Colombian President Gustavo Petro strongly condemned a United Nations report assessing the state of illicit crops in the country, accusing the UNODC of “scientific stupidity” and alleging the report unfairly targeted his administration. The controversy centers on the report’s findings regarding coca cultivation and its potential impact on Colombia’s drug policy.
Background: The UNODC Report
On November 13, 2023, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released its annual report on coca cultivation in Colombia. The report indicated a meaningful increase in coca crops in 2023, reaching approximately 234,000 hectares – a 13% rise from the previous year UNODC Colombia Report 2023. This represents the highest area under coca cultivation as the UNODC began monitoring in 2001. The report also highlighted a shift in coca cultivation towards areas previously controlled by FARC rebels following the 2016 peace agreement.
Petro’s Response and Criticisms
President Petro reacted sharply to the report,publicly criticizing the UNODC’s methodology and conclusions. He accused the organization of relying on outdated data and flawed scientific approaches, labeling it “scientific stupidity” in a series of posts on social media Gustavo Petro’s Twitter Account (example link, actual tweet ID will vary). Petro argued that the report failed to adequately consider the socio-economic factors driving coca cultivation, notably in marginalized rural communities. He further claimed the report was politically motivated and designed to undermine his government’s efforts to implement choice progress programs.
Specifically, Petro challenged the UNODC’s reliance on satellite imagery and ground surveys, suggesting they did not accurately reflect the complex realities on the ground. He proposed a new methodology based on direct engagement wiht coca-growing communities and a focus on addressing the root causes of the problem, such as poverty and lack of possibility.
Government Policy and alternative Development
Petro’s administration has adopted a new approach to drug policy, shifting away from the customary focus on eradication through aerial spraying (which was halted in 2015) and towards a strategy of voluntary crop substitution and alternative development. This policy aims to provide economic incentives for farmers to abandon coca cultivation and transition to legal crops, such as coffee, cacao, and fruits Infobae - Petro’s Plan