President Gustavo Petro traveled to El Tarra, Norte de Santander, this Friday. In the main square, where hundreds of citizens awaited him, Catatumbo was greeted by peasant guards.
El Tarra Mayor’s Office said it was the first time a president had visited them. “It is a historic day for our municipality of El Tarra, it is the first time a president has visited us. It is a great pleasure to have him here.”
After the security advice, Petro announced that the country’s first ‘coca growers’ assembly will be held in the region. He said there would be more dialogue and that Catatumbo would be the “capital” and “frontline” of peace in Colombia.
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After his speech with the congregation, a security council convened on the afternoon of August 26.
These were some of the results:
President Petro announced that the country’s first “coca growers” meeting will be held in Catatumbo.
“I accepted the idea of holding the first meeting of coca leaf growers in Catatumbo. The first meeting of coca growers with one intention: to show this government the ways, the public policies, the ways that allow us to start a family. Today a farmer devoted to coca leaves and pasta, instead, better It can bring an activity that guarantees a quality of life,” he said.
Building on this idea, from those gathered in the said assembly, “We will join in with what the government’s experience has achieved and poorly achieved, and we can build Catatumbo’s transition from a global-scale culinary export hub to a large prosperous food production region that can industrialize”.
And the United Nations’ Integrated Illegal Crop Monitoring System (Simci) was detected in 2020. 40,084 hectares of coca saplings have been planted in Norte de Santander, which constitutes the largest concentration of drug crops in the country and in the world.
Unofficially, officials calculate that there are between 45,000 and 50,000 hectares of coca bushes in that department today.
(You can read: Gustavo Petro proposes to stipulate extradition of drug traffickers; USA reacts)
The head of state also said he would return to the municipality to initiate a national dialogue. He said he asked mayors, governors, Church and peasant organizations to hold the next meeting “briefly”.
He wanted all segments of society to participate in this dialogue. “It’s about finding coincidences that are the shared vision of what you want Catatumbo to be.”
The construction of a university and a road between Tibú-Ocaña were some of the ideas the president talked about for consideration with the community.
The government insisted on the project of achieving what it called complete peace. Petro assured that illegal groups with a presence in that area were communicating with them to “start peace negotiations with them”.
He also suggested In Catatumbo, talks can be held “with those who commit violence today to finally lay down their arms and enter a new era”.
Stating that quick decisions must be taken to achieve this, he emphasized that two goals should be achieved: ensure the reduction of coca leaf production and the abandonment of illegal weapons.
Finally, he proposed that Catatumbo be the “capital” and “frontline” of peace in Colombia.
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Interior Minister Alfonso Prada was also on the tour to El Tarra; Defense, Iván Velásquez and Agriculture, Cecilia López. Peace High Commissioner Danilo Rueda and Armed Forces Major General Helder Fernan Giraldo also attended.
Petro’s visit was suspended this week following a bullet attack on the security post Wednesday. Hours before his arrival on 26 August, an explosive attack on a caravan of soldiers was recorded at the branch.
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Source: Exame
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