Bolivia coca farmers protest against eradication efforts

Coca farmers in large number participated in a protest against eradication efforts by the government of President Evo Morales on Tuesday. The United Nations Office on Drug and Crime lists Bolivia as the world's third largest producer of coca and cocaine behind Colombia and Peru.

La Paz: Thousands of coca farmers participated on a mass coca leaf chew to protest against eradication efforts by the government of President Evo Morales on Tuesday.

The farmers point to a 2017 law legalizing up to 22,000 hectares (220 square kilometres) of coca plants in Bolivia's central region of Chapare, where Morales hails from, and where coca farmers had previously gone unrecognized.

The coca farmers protesting in La Paz come from other coca producing areas say the 2017 broke the coca union into two entities, the Chapare union and the Yungas union which represents northern Bolivia's coca farmers.

The United States has been working with Bolivian authorities to eradicate illegal coca plants found to exceed the 22,000 limit for growers.

There are over 80,000 legal coca farmers in Bolivia.

The United Nations Office on Drug and Crime lists Bolivia as the world's third largest producer of coca and cocaine behind Colombia and Peru.