Current Bolivian president favorite speech was to say that cocaine consumption was not a Bolivian problem, it was the “gringos”… unfortunately and as it often happens with this person, his remarks have little if any empirical evidence, he speaks as he pleases… no analysis, no long-term planning to address those issues, and certainly no thoughts on how to bring hope and optimism to our beloved Bolivia.

This report is from ANF and appeared in Pagina Siete, it captures how drug consumption has increased to alarming rates in Bolivia. Not only violent crimes happening but our youth and labor force are in peril; our society and our families suffer one way or the other against the cocaine and other illegal drug operations, report says:

The consumption and sale of marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol use among young people is accentuated in several municipalities of the tropics of Cochabamba, confirming the concern of the Archbishop of the Department, Tito Solari, who last year warned of this danger to the youth of the region.

Parish priest at Shinahota, Macario Zurita, expressed alarm at the spread of consumption and marketing of drugs and alcohol in that and other municipalities; it should oblige the parents, institutions and young people themselves to a crusade against those scourges to safeguard the health of the population.

He said that the sale and consumption was verified by the parents, neighborhood leaders and authorities, so it raised an aggressive program on citizen security and effective plans for prevention among young people.

They confirmed that many adolescents and young people consume and sell marijuana and cocaine, while there is growing preference for alcohol use in plazas and public spaces, parents are desperate.

It was reported that there is an irruption of youth gangs, composed of teenagers, who are engaged in criminal activities; that is forcing implementation plans to dismantle these groups who sow panic and terror among the inhabitants of several municipalities in the tropics, especially Shinahota, regarded as the red zone.

Therefore, the priest, Macario Zurita is raising a great mobilization with the participation of educational units, children’s public defender, police and others who defend the rights of young people and ensure their physical and mental health.

The dramatic alarm confirms the concerns of the Archbishop of Cochabamba, Tito Solari, who last year revealed that reality, which earned him the condemnation of coca producers, who forced him to recant and apologize, under the alternative of being expelled from the country.

http://www.paginasiete.bo/2012-02-10/Sociedad/Destacados/droga.aspx

The last paragraph with the coca growers threat to expel the Archbishop of Cochabamba, Tito Solari, is a clear proof how those individuals behave, they think they own the country and that they can do as they please… Bolivian and international public opinion may think otherwise… but nothing happens… why? because current Bolivian president functions first as their coca leader… sad but true.

This cartoon shows how public opinion sees him in his sleep… having nightmares with a road that will but in half the TIPNIS, a host law that needs to be eliminated, environmental destruction, laws should be complied, coca growers, the Brazilian OAS company in charge of the construction of that road; next to his bed you can see the picture of his most influential friend, current president of Venezuela. From El Diario, February 9, 2012. The issue of the TIPNIS and new law will more likely to end the protection of the TIPNIS and will free more land to the coca crop that goes to the narcotraffick.

This cartoon is from La Prensa, February 9, 2012. It shows a coca grower from Asunta, La Paz, the other place where coca is grown. The title reads: “the coca grower empire strikes back” and the police is on his knees… not only Chapare, Cochabamba behaves lawless but so does the Yungas, La Paz. We do not need more signs, narco trafficking is beginning to set foot here, like they did in Colombia, Mexico and Afghanistan. And no one does anything to prevent or revert this nightmare, instead public TV channel and public radios across the country side say nothing but only praises to this government and their leader, the coca grower and current Bolivian president…