Colombia’s National Narcotics Council (CNE) ordered the National Police to restart the aerial fumigation of coca, the base ingredient for cocaine.
In a resolution, the CNE ordered “as a controlled, limited, temporary, and evaluable experimental phase, the implementation of a pilot plan for the eradication of illicit crops through aerial spraying using a manned aircraft and the formulated product Glufosinate Ammonium 200 SL.”
In a public statement, the National Police’s counternarcotics unit said that the 10km2 pilot area was located in Putumayo and would not affect indigenous and afro-descendant communities, who would need to be asked permission.
The exclusion of environmental protection zones and protected areas, zones associated with bodies of water, rivers, and other environmentally sensitive areas is contemplated, as well as those territories that, in accordance with current regulations and the corresponding technical studies, must be excluded.
National Police Counternarcotics
The purpose of the pilot program is to “evaluate the effectiveness of aerial spraying, as well as its application under the established technical and operational conditions, said the police.
The police stressed that “this experimental phase does not constitute the resumption, adoption, or definitive authorization of a widespread or nationwide aerial spraying program,” which was banned by the Constitutional Court in 2015.
In order to resume aerial fumigation, health and environmental authorities must sign off on the program and the police would only be allowed to use airplanes with the approval of the court and local communities.
President Abelardo de la Espriella vowed to resume aerial spraying more than 330,000 hectares while on campaign and after taking office last month as part of his hardline approach to organized crime.
Former President Ivan Duque also vowed to resume aerial spraying, but failed to comply with the norms established by the court.
Related posts:
