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Colombian President Gustavo Petro announced in his maiden speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday that “the war on drugs has failed,” while proposing changes to national drug laws that could lead to the legalization of cocaine.
Commenting on Petro’s statements, the country’s former president, Ivan Duque, 46, said: Fox news that he believes the current president’s views could lead to the legalization of the drug — and potentially pose a threat to the United States.
“What worries me is that there is now an opportunity to address the consent, or legalization, of cocaine and consumption,” Duque said Friday.
“I think it will be very bad for Colombia, and that will be very bad for the countries in the hemisphere, and I think that could pose a majority threat to the United States as well.”
Petro, 62, who took office on Aug. 4, said humanity’s “addiction to irrational power, profit and money” is more harmful than drug addiction.
“Which is more toxic to humanity, cocaine, coal or oil?” he asked the meeting.
“The opinion of power has ordered that cocaine is poison and should be prosecuted, while causing only minimal deaths from overdoses…but instead coal and oil should be protected, even if it could wipe out all of humanity.”
Colombia is currently the world’s largest producer of cocaine, according to CNN, and has become known for his drug trade. It produces more than the next two highest countries, Peru and Bolivia, combined.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro, 62, opened his maiden speech at the United Nations General Assembly by stating that ‘the war on drugs has failed’
Texas border officials pulled in nearly $12 million in cocaine disguised as baby wipes earlier this month — the largest drug bust in the state in 20 years.
The drugs were seized at the Colombia Solidarity Bridge near the town of Laredo, 100 miles from San Antonio, after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials gave a 2016 Stoughton trailer a secondary inspection.
They discovered 1,935 packages containing nearly a ton (1,532.65 pounds) of alleged cocaine in the shipment after releasing the sniffer dogs and using a non-intrusive inspection system search.
The month before, in the same city, more than half a million dollars’ worth of cocaine was seized from a truck trying to enter the US disguised as ‘juice’.
Texas border officials discovered 1,935 packages containing 1,532.65 pounds of alleged cocaine. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents investigate the capture, which has an estimated street value of $11,818,400
Petro suggested that conflict over energy resources has resulted in more deaths than drug trafficking. “Which is more toxic to humanity, cocaine, coal or oil?” he asked
Pictured: Coca paste, an extract of the coca leaf. Colombia is the world’s largest producer of cocaine, producing more than the next two countries, Peru and Bolivia combined
During his presidential campaign, Petro stated that he wants Colombia to export food and boost agricultural production in favor of cocaine and weapons.
Colombian Senator Gustavo Bolivar supported Petro’s statements, adding that he believed the recent regulation of marijuana could extend to cocaine.
Drug trafficking efforts in Colombia have increased despite the country continuing to spend money on fighting it, he said.
“We will only achieve peace in Colombia if we regulate the drug trade,” he continued.
“Not even the United States with all its power and money could win the war on drugs. Colombia currently produces more drugs than when Pablo Escobar was alive. There are more consumers. There are more farmers.’
A report from the Truth Commission, which examined 50 years of Colombia’s civil conflict, found that the drug trade continued in the conflict, despite $8 billion in US military aid being sent to Colombia.
An estimated 260,000 Colombians have died as a result of the war on drugs.
In the photo: Ivan Buque. The former president added that legalizing cocaine could lead to security risks in the United States
Pictured: Colombian Navy picks up one and a half tons of cocaine packages. More than 260,000 Colombians have died as a result of the war on drugs, according to a report
Duque supplemented his argument by saying that 40 percent of Colombia’s exports come from oil and gas.
While Petro hopes to move from the war on drugs to a focus on climate change efforts, Duque said the new president needs to think about the future of the country.
“There is a transition underway and Colombia could turn itself into a green hydrogen exporter in the next decade, but so far we have to keep the balance to do a good job when it comes to oil and gas in terms of exports on production.” ‘ said Duke.
‘At the same time, we must continue to expand on unconventional renewable energy sources.’
Despite $8 billion in military aid being sent to Colombia to fight the war on drugs, a report suggests the increase in drug trafficking has only fueled more conflict
Pictured: the fumigation process of coca plants. ‘We will never achieve peace in Colombia until we regulate the drug trade,’ said a Colombian senator
Pictured: Gustavo Petro during his inauguration. Commenting on Petro’s speech, Bolivian President Luis Arce said he “would like to hear a very specific proposal on this.”
During his speech, Petro said global efforts to save the environment have been “hypocritical” as world leaders ignore the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.
“The climate catastrophe that will kill hundreds of millions of people is not caused by the planet, but by capital,” he said.
‘By the logic of consuming more and more, producing more and, for some, earning more and more.’
After hearing Petro’s proposals, Bolivian President Luis Arce said he would like to continue talks between the two nations on how to potentially relax regulations.
“He shared with us the ideas he was talking about today,” Arce said. ‘We would like to hear a very concrete proposal about this.’