Press Release |
|
| PRESS RELEASE: April 25, 2007 |
CONTACT: ONDCP Public Affairs: (202) 395–6618 Cell: (202) 368–8424 |
2006 COUNTERNARCOTICS ASSESSMENT FOR BOLIVIA
(Washington, D.C.)—The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) released the following statement regarding the counternarcotics assessment for Bolivia.
The 2006 U.S. Government estimate of Bolivian coca cultivation and cocaine production potential has been completed. We estimate Bolivia's coca cultivation at between 21,000 and 32,500 hectares with a 90 percent confidence limit, statistically unchanged as compared to the 2005 estimate range of 21,400 and 32,500 hectares.
The accuracy of the estimate was degraded because of the extremely mountainous terrain in the largest single cultivation area, the Yungas. The estimate showed a decrease in cultivation in the Yungas, a conclusion that is not readily supportable given the lack of eradication and anecdotal reporting of increased cultivation. All other major growing regions registered increases during 2006. Cocaine potential production remained unchanged at 115 metric tons from 2005 to 2006 based on the most recent data collected on Bolivian cocaine production techniques.
Bolivia is the world's third largest cocaine producer and is a country of concern for the following reasons. Upon entering office in January 2006, President Evo Morales advocated a counternarcotics policy of "zero cocaine," "revalidation" of the coca leaf, and has repeatedly called for legalization and industrialization of the coca leaf in international fora. Over the last year, his administration has produced a mixed record of counternarcotics results.
While Bolivia met its self-established coca eradication goal of 5,000 hectares in mid-December, the 2006 effort represented the lowest level of eradication in more than ten years. Bolivia failed to conduct a study to determine licit demand for coca as required by Bolivian Law 1008 and rejected the European Union offer to provide full funding support for such a study. President Morales announced his intention to increase the amount of hectarage allowed for legal coca cultivation from 12,000 to 20,000—a change that would contravene the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotics Drugs. More recently the government of Bolivia announced it would permit 8,000 hectares of coca in the Chapare region, an increase of about 17 percent, consistent with President Morales's move to permit 20,000 hectares of cultivation.
The government of Bolivia interdicted more than 14 metric tons of cocaine base and HCl, up from 11.5 metric tons in 2005. It remains to be seen if the increased interdiction results are from stricter law enforcement, or as a result of increased cocaine production due to a more permissive environment.
