Follow-up: Bolivian drug raid seems to refute State Dep’t report

The Bolivian government’s response to an unfavorable review of their anti-drug policy by the U.S. has been to carry out a major counternarcotics operation. Approximately 550 pounds of drugs were seized by Bolivian authorities in the province of Potosi.

Meanwhile, a group advocating changes to U.S. counternarcotics policy wrote an article refuting the claims made by the Department of State’s International Narcotics Strategy Report. According to the Andean Information Network:

“The U.S. needs to move away from old and ineffective yardsticks to measure drug control, such as yearly coca cultivation statistics and eradication figures… Furthermore the Morales administration has followed through with its promise to step up interdiction and has shown impressive results. Coca farmers now cooperate with anti-drug police to denounce maceration pits and traffickers”.

On the other hand, the possibility of changing Bolivia’s coat of arms to include coca leaves may not be giving a very convincing impression.

Links- People’s Daily Online, The Latin Americanist, Reuters, Andean Information Network, Department of State

Image- buonpernoi.it (Bolivian president Evo Morales holding up a coca leaf during a speech given at the U.N. last year)