Bolivian President Evo Morales rated international penalization of coca leaf chewing as unfair, stressing the plant has very important medicinal values for human health.

The Bolivian government, supported by international social and indigenous movements, as well as farmers and workers, will continue to fight against bans on coca leaf chewing, he told the Telesur network.

Evo Morales Coca Yes, Cocaine No

Morales explained that the health benefits from the plant in its natural state have been scientifically proven by renowned institutions globally.

Coca is also an indispensable element in the cultural heritage of Bolivian indigenous people, he pointed out.

“The green leaf of coca is medicine, food,” said Morales, criticizing the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which called for the eradication of coca plantations.

Hugo Chavez Evo Morales hand in hand, coca is no contraband

His controversial “Coca Yes, Cocaine No” program focuses on the industrialization of coca for products like tea, medicine and toothpaste, much of it with financial help from Morales’ regional ally, Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. According to Bolivia’s Coca Industrialization Directorate, there are an ca. 50,000 coca growers in Los Yungas, who already support the effort to market coca legally.

On the other side, Morales remains opposed to the unregulated and illegal growth of coca for cocaine production. He is encouraging growers to meet voluntary limits while continuing to cooperate with the United States administration accelerate the process of stopping cocaine trafficking. But U.S. law enforcement authorities remain skeptical of Morales’ “Coca Yes, Cocaine No” program, declaring concerns that any increase in coca cultivation will lead to a growth in cocaine production.

 

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