‘US deeply concerned’ about coca cultivation in Colombia: Pompeo

The United States is deeply concerned about an increase in coca cultivation in Colombia, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday.

At a meeting with Colombian President Ivan Duque, Pompeo said the two countries would try to reduce coca production by 50% by 2023. Colombia has already vowed to step up its coca eradication programme.

“The United States remains deeply concerned about the surge in coca cultivation and cocaine production in Colombia since 2013,” Pompeo told journalists following the meeting.

Colombia has long been ranked as the world’s top producer of cocaine, for which coca is the base ingredient, but figures compiled by the United Nations for 2017 showed the largest potential output since the organization began keeping records, with cocaine production at 1,379 metric tons.

A recent UN report said the amount of agricultural land used for coca crops in Colombia had hit record levels. The country has fought for years to tackle cocaine production, with the US providing about $400m (£318m) annually to help combat the producers and traffickers.

Colombia is the world's largest producer of cocaine, while the US is the world's largest consumer.

“We will continue to work with you Mr President side-by-side to achieve our joint objectives to cut coca cultivation and coca production by 50 percent between now and 2023,” Pompeo said.

The government wants to eradicate 100,000 hectares of coca crops in 2019. Duque said last month that 2018 eradication would total more than 80,000 hectares of illicit crops.

The U.S. commitment to helping Colombia dismantle organized crime groups is “vital”, Duque said in his remarks. Duque thanked the US for its support in the drugs war.

Aerial fumigation with the herbicide glyphosate, suspended in 2015 after being linked to cancer, may be reinstated if it can be made to comply with judicial conditions, Duque has said.

Duque and Pompeo also discussed the crisis in Venezuela, where hyperinflation and food and medicine shortages have spurred more than 3 million people to flee over the past several years, including more than a million who now live in Colombia.