The Colombian President Gustavo Petro has stated that cocaine “is no worse than whiskey”. He stated that the drug is only tagged illegal because it comes from Latin America.
President Petro made this remark during a live broadcast of a government meeting on Wednesday.
Recall that Colombia is the world’s biggest cocaine producer and exporter. And the United States and Europe have spent decades fighting against cocaine trafficking.
However, the leftist President said “cocaine is illegal because it is made in Latin America. Not because it is worse than whisky.”
“Scientists have analyzed this. Cocaine is no worse than whisky,” he added.
Petro stated this during a six-hour ministerial meeting — broadcast live for the first time ever.
His remarks, therefore, suggested that the global cocaine industry could be “easily dismantled” if the drug were legalized worldwide.
He said, “If you want peace, you have to dismantle the business (of drug trafficking).”
“It could easily be dismantled if they legalize cocaine in the world. It would be sold like wine.”
President Petro also pointed out that fentanyl “is killing Americans and it is not made in Colombia.”
The remark was in reference to the opioid responsible for around 75,000 deaths in the United States a year, according to official data.
“Fentanyl was created as a pharmacy drug by North American multinationals”. And those who consumed it “became addicted,” Petro added.
Recall that since coming to power in 2022, Petro has attempted to make peace with all of the armed groups that are fueled by drug trafficking. This is in the hope of ending the six decades of conflict.
Cocaine production in Colombia reached a record high in 2023. The drug jumped from 53 per cent to 2,600 tons, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
source: AFP
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