The U.S. recognizes that the fight against drugs in Colombia has marginalized many people and that it can be improved, said the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Rahul Gupta.
“The United States and Colombia have had 200 years of shared history to forge a path together in anti-drug policy, President [Joe] Biden is aware that much of the politics of the past has marginalized many people and has not worked for many populations and we can do better,” said Gupta after a meeting with the Colombian government.
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At the press conference, the Biden government official stated that his country will always support the interests of Colombia, whom he described as an important ally.
“We discussed how the two countries share a lot in common when it comes to public health, economic development, environmental protection, services provided by the State and security. Colombia must see the U.S. as an ally when it comes to promoting development rural, combat corruption, climate damage and advance the inclusion of marginalized populations,” he explained.
Gupta revealed that the U.S. president has among his plans to work on a policy to reduce drug use in that territory, so devastated by hallucinogens.
The designated Colombian ambassador to the U.S., Luis Gilberto Murillo, stated that the countries will work to further deepen environmental policies and the importance of allocating resources to projects related to land and the fight against drug trafficking.
“Important emphasis was placed on resources for comprehensive security, human security, beginning with the fight against different crimes, environmental crimes, advances in rural security and land titling, and obviously this within the framework of the frontal fight against drug trafficking,” Murillo explained.
Colombia is one of the drug-producing countries in the world and although coca crops have decreased, according to the annual report of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, in 2021 there were a total of 234,000 hectares of coca leaves cultivated.