Court in Colombia halts pilot aerial spraying of coca crops
A court in Colombia’s Putumayo department has suspended the government’s announced pilot resumption of aerial spraying of coca crops. The court also ordered the administration of President Abelardo de la Espriella to provide the information required for a sufficiently informed decision on the merits, Colombia Reports reports.
Pilot plan in Putumayo
The National Narcotics Council had previously instructed the National Police to resume aerial spraying of coca, a plant that serves as a raw material for cocaine production. This concerned a controlled, time-limited and evaluable experimental phase aimed at eliminating illegal crops.
Police said the 10-square-kilometer pilot area is located in Putumayo, a department within the Amazon rainforest. A manned aircraft and glufosinate ammonium 200 SL were planned for use in the spraying.
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Environmental and health risks
A local foundation filed a lawsuit against the administration, stating that the pilot plan violates the 2015 ban on aerial spraying and threatens local residents and the environment. The court agreed on the need to provide information about environmental and health risks associated with the use of glufosinate ammonium.
The ruling states that implementing the pilot plan before collecting and analyzing the studies, documents and technical evidence cited by the administration itself could render constitutional protection ineffective. The court also pointed to a lack of material information on the measure’s territorial, social and environmental consequences, as well as Putumayo’s environmental vulnerability.
The suspension came several days after de la Espriella promised U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to resume aerial spraying.
