US lawmakers urge no support for coca spraying in Colombia — Mongabay

A group of US lawmakers has urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio not to support Colombia’s plans to resume aerial spraying of coca crops in the Amazon.

Health and environmental concerns

The lawmakers warned of potential risks such spraying could pose to human health and the environment. As Mongabay reports, they question Washington’s possible involvement in implementing the Colombian plan. US lawmakers also urge the search for alternatives that would protect rural communities and the Amazon rainforest.

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Colombia’s position and that of critics

The Colombian government says the spraying is necessary to counter cocaine production and weaken armed groups. At the same time, critics believe the strategy, used for decades, has not produced results and could accelerate deforestation.

Despite years of US-backed counternarcotics efforts, Colombia remains the world’s largest producer of cocaine.