Colombia to Restart Aerial Coca Eradication After 11-Year Pause
Colombia announced it will resume aerial spraying of coca fields, the first such operation since 2015, following recent talks with the United States.
The government in Bogotá said it will restart aerial herbicide applications targeting coca plantations, a practice halted in 2015. The decision follows discussions between Colombia's newly elected right-wing president and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Washington has been urging stronger anti-narcotics measures as cocaine output reaches record levels, and the move aligns with a broader hard-line approach adopted in the region.
Why it matters
Resuming aerial spraying signals a tougher anti-drug strategy that could affect regional coca cultivation and U.S.-Latin America relations.
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