Last Friday, Columbia's government reached an agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a drug-trafficking group, to fight the cocaine trade. This is a very important step for the country because Colombia's conflict is rooted in it's poor countryside and drug battle over cocaine fields. If their plan succeeds, it would also influence a huge change on the war of drugs in the Andes, which is the epicenter of the world's cocaine trade. The article also noted that it would make the work for the government easier as well.
With the help of FARC, the government asks that coca growers transition their growing to legal crops from African palm oil to fruit and yucca. The government would then increase aid to poor countryside farmers and expand programs.In addition the plan would allow FARC to form a political movement and run for elections. The FARC has an enormous influence over these farming areas and if they tell the farmers to get rid of the coca, they will.
The central objective of this agreement is to provide a better life to the poor countryside. They believe if they remove the cocaine, peace and prosperity will come. However the U.S is optimistic but believes it is a very important step in the right direction. The deal would alter a 14-year old accord in which the U.S provided about $700 million annually to Colombia for military and anti-narcotics aid. Some critics argue that the agreement will create friction between the U.S government and Colombia. However, it is also states that the Obama Administration considers the President of Colombia-Juan Manual Santos their closest ally in Latin America.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB20001424052702304908304579566081051865314?mod=itp_wsj&mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB20001424052702304908304579566081051865314.html%3Fmod%3Ditp_wsj
-Jackie Bland
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