Bolivian President Urges
Coca Growers To Fight
Drug Trafficking
Bolivian President Evo
Morales on Friday urged
coca growers in the
country's Chapare region
to help fight drug
trafficking, amid
confrontation with a
U.S. government aid
agency.
According to information
reaching here from La
Paz, administrative
capital of Bolivia,
Morales told coca
growers that they "have
the obligation to
support and help in the
fight against drug
trafficking."
On Wednesday, coca
growers decided to
expulse the U.S. Agency
for International
Development (USAID) from
Chapare, accusing the
agency of using its aid
to sabotage Morales'
government. They said
they would seek funding
from Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez.
Morales expressed
support for the coca
growers, saying he was
"proud" of their
decision and called for
their help to fight drug
trafficking.
USAID offered 87 million
U.S. dollars in aid to
Bolivia in
2007,including 11.9
million dollars to
Chapare. Part of the aid
was intended to help
coca growers to turn to
other crops.
Bolivia is the third
largest producer of coca
leaves after Colombia
and Peru. While coca
leaves are the main
ingredient to make
cocaine, Andean peoples
have the tradition to
use them as medicine or
at religious ceremonies.
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