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« Ex-Aid Testifies that Marinkovic Financed Accused Terrorists | Home | Bolivian Ex-Presidents Accused Under Retroactive Law » Evo Invites United Nations to Chew CocaPosted: admin on Mar 18 | Indigenous & Culture, International, Law & Justice On March 18th President Evo Morales invited members of the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) to come to Bolivia and chew coca leaves with him to be “healthier and more intelligent” and to respect the world’s cultural diversity. Morales said this in a speech in the traditional coca-growing town of Caranavi in the Yungas province of La Paz. Morales said, “I want to say to the INCB members that they come to Bolivia to chew coca in Caranavi, in Bolivia, and when they chew coca they will be healthier and more intelligent and that way they will understand the world’s social diversity and respect our identity.” Morales was responding in part to a 2007 request from the INCB that Bolivia “teach its population no to chew coca leaves”, a stance which the pro-coca Morales considers a threat to Bolivian culture. According to Bolivia UN ambassador Pablo Solón the Vienna based INCB has taken a less stringent position in 2009 in part because the Bolivian government has firmly rejected INCB requests to prohibit coca chewing. The United Nations criminalized coca in 1961 because it is one of the ingredients in the drug cocaine. In 2009 Bolivia formally requested that the UN de-criminalize coca. To learn more in Spanish see: http://www.lostiempos.com/diario/actualidad/nacional/20100317/evo-invita-a-funcionarios-de-la-onu-a-masticar-coca-para-ser-mas_62034_112250.html |
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