Alan Garcia, President of Peru, has announced that he has ordered the use of warplanes to destroy Peruvian drug operations, specifically coca plant farms. Garcia has stated that drug barons must be pursued in order to avoid an insurgency funded by illicit drug funds. Garcia is worried that his nation may be spiraling out of control in a similar fashion to their neighboring country, Columbia, one that has been nearly overtaken by the drug trade. Peru is the 2nd largest producer of cocaine in the world, behind Columbia. Garcia's ideas are highly opposed by Peruvian farmers, who if it weren't for coca would be producing much cheaper crops such as coffee and cocoa. Later this month Garcia is visiting the United States to finalize a free-trade agreement, and many of his critics state that he is trying to appease the American government and their war on drugs by means of his crackdown on coca.
This is quite an ongoing case, starting last year Garcia stated that he was planning on cracking down on the coca world in Peru, it seems as though this may finally be the culmination of his words. If this is so, Peru is losing a major market and something that provides a hefty portion of their economy, but it could very well eliminate some major political enemies of the Peruvian government - the Cartels. It is obvious that Garcia is catering to the interests of the United States as well, but there is nothing wrong with this. If he wants to appease them in order to finalize their free-trade agreement, so be it. It is a strong political move to align yourself with a world superpower, and Garcia is making a very assertive move (if he follows through on his words) if he eliminates coca farms.
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