The relentless consumption of cocaine in the US and Europe has propelled coca production in Colombia, resulting in 1.7 million cubic meters of gasoline being dumped in rivers around provinces such as Putumayo, contaminating them and destroying vital ecosystems, including the Natural National Park La Paya. Cocaine’s illegal trade has brought environmental devastation, seriously impacting biodiversity and the Indigenous communities that rely on these territories for their survival.
Alongside deforestation, pollution from chemical products used in coca production has destroyed wetlands and lagoons in Putumayo, negatively impacting local fauna and flora. Indigenous Amazonian communities such as the Siona, Murui, Muina, and Kichwa bear the consequences of deforestation, hunting, and the loss of clean water sources. Despite increased bans and the fight against drug trafficking, the environmental and social effects of coca cultivation persist, transforming natural sites into toxic dumps and disrupting the lives of the Amazonian peoples.
This story was produced with support from Internews' Earth Journalism Network. It was first published in El Turbión on June 9, 2024. It has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Banner Image: People cultivating and harvesting cassava in the Colombian Amazon / Credit: Andrés Gómez.
Andrés Gómez Tarazona
