LA PAZ (Reuters) – The government of Bolivia has acknowledged a shift in their country’s role in the drug trade. While Bolivia has been known as a major producer of coca, the raw ingredient for cocaine, the government previously claimed that production of consumption-ready cocaine was limited. However, this week the government admitted to destroying a significant number of laboratories involved in the production of cocaine hydrochloride.
The destruction of these laboratories mostly occurred in Chapare, a region known for coca cultivation and where former President Evo Morales enjoys support. Minister of Government Eduardo del Castillo revealed that over 27 mega laboratories in Chapare have been destroyed in 2023 alone. He also presented a drug trafficking map indicating 1,804 drug factories seized since 2020, with the majority located in Chapare.
This acknowledgment by the government highlights the pressure they face from both domestic and international sources to address the drug production issue. It also reflects tensions between current President Luis Arce and Morales, who is a prominent figure in the MAS party and has roots in the coca trade.
The government’s action responds to calls for stronger measures against drug trafficking, including from individuals associated with Morales. Critics argue that previous MAS governments turned a blind eye to traffickers.
Bolivian economist Carlos Toranzo, a former drug trafficking analyst, explained that the government’s previous stance denied the transition from basic paste to hydrochloride. He suggested that the change in rhetoric is driven by the internal power struggle within the MAS party, as Arce and Morales compete for leadership ahead of upcoming elections in two years.
“What’s going on here? It’s the candidacy for 2025, each one wants to take the other out of the game,” Toranzo said. “In Bolivia, we are experiencing a dispute between two factions of the MAS, each one pointing the finger at the other suggesting that they are protecting drug traffickers.”
Reporting by Monica Machicao; Writing by Daniel Ramos; Editing by Adam Jourdan and Howard Goller
Credit: The Star : News Feed
