Eradication of Coca Plants in Peru

I thought this article was very interesting after our recent reading from Global Studies: Latin America about coca production in Bolivia. The article stated that Peru is the second largest producer of coca in the world, and that less than 10% of it is produced legally for traditional and medicinal uses. The Peruvian President, Mr. Alan Garcia, recently stated that all of the drug sites in the Peruvian Amazon need to be destroyed. He believes that this will prevent the corruption and violence that exists in Columbia due to the production of cocaine from spreading more than it already has. The article also mentioned that Mr. Garcia is planning on ratifying a free trade agreement between the United States and Peru in the next month, bringing to question his motives behind this speech.

For more go to:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6520863.stm