| The weed-like coca plant has been used for centuries by indians who chew the leaves to ward off hunger and exhaustion. More recently, the leaves are used in the production of cocaine. In the last ten years, thousands of acres of coca have been planted in Colombia. As a cash crop, nothing can surpass it. Profits from the sale of cocaine fund both the guerrillas and the paramilitaries, and fierce battles are fought between the two over control of coca-producing areas. A U.S.-sponsored program to aerial fumigate all coca crops has been controversial and, according to most recent statistics, has not been effective in reducing the number of acres under cultivation. |
