The Dark Side of Colombia Few People Know

Coca, the plant used to make cocaine, now covers more land in Colombia than at any time in the past two decades. Despite millions spent on eradication and foreign aid, farmers keep replanting, often because coca is the only crop that guarantees steady income.

Eradication campaigns have angered rural communities that see little government support. When the crops are destroyed, families lose their only livelihood. As long as poverty and neglect remain, coca will continue to grow—and so will the global cocaine supply.