Colombia begins using drones to fight cocaine production
The record-breaking cocaine production has put an end to relations between Colombia and the United States. On Monday, Colombia announced that the country will once again start spraying coca plants with herbicides – this time using drones, reports the AP.
Aerial spraying was banned in 2015 after the World Health Organization classified glyphosate as carcinogenic. Instead, the military has tried to destroy the plants by hand, with limited effect.
According to the UN, about 261,000 hectares of land are used to grow coca plants, which is double compared to 2016.
The United States has been critical of Colombia’s decision to stop aerial spraying, and in September the Trump administration put Colombia on a list of countries that are “not cooperating in the war on drugs.”
Drone minister: Our troops will be safer
Colombia will once again start spraying coca plants with herbicides from the air in the fight against cocaine production in the country.
The spraying will be done using drones, which will be deployed in areas where gangs and rebel groups force locals to grow coca plants, writes AP. According to the UN, almost 261,000 hectares of land are used to grow coca plants in the country.
According to Justice Minister Andrés Idárraga, the drones will fly no more than 1.5 meters above their targets to avoid contaminating water sources or other legal crops. This was something that environmental groups criticized Colombia for before 2015, when the country banned aerial spraying.
"This is controlled and effective, and reduces environmental risks," says Idárraga.
It is also a way to protect the country's soldiers, who have been forced to go out on foot to destroy coca plants since 2015.
- Our troops will be safer.
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