Colombia announces new aerial fumigation pilot program
Colombia’s National Narcotics Council (CNE) ordered the National Police to restart the aerial fumigation of coca, the base ingredient for cocaine. In a resolution, the CNE ordered “as a controlled, limited, temporary, and evaluable experimental phase, the implementation of a pilot plan for the eradication of illicit crops through aerial spraying using a manned aircraft […] The post Colombia…
Colombia has launched a new pilot program for aerial fumigation of coca crops, according to the National Narcotics Council (CNE). The CNE has ordered the National Police to conduct a controlled, limited, temporary and evaluable experimental phase of spraying illicit crops with the product Glufosinate Ammonium 200 SL in a 10km2 area in Putumayo.
The National Police's counternarcotics unit stated that the pilot area would not impact indigenous and afro-descendant communities, who would need to provide permission for the operation. The program aims to assess the effectiveness of aerial spraying and its application under established technical and operational conditions. The police emphasized that this experimental phase does not mark the resumption or definitive authorization of a nationwide aerial spraying program, which was previously banned by the Constitutional Court in 2015.
President Abelardo de la Espriella had previously vowed to resume aerial spraying on a larger scale during his campaign and after taking office. Former President Ivan Duque also expressed support for the measure but failed to adhere to the constitutional norms.
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