Security Minister Gustavo Mata, does not hide the region’s concern for increased cultivation and drug production in Colombia, which could increase further when the peace process between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) materializes.
According to Mata, the increase is motivated by two aspects. The first is a larger amount of production in the South American country, which went from one yield per hectare a year, to three yields in the same amount of time and ground.
On average, between 1300 and 1400 tons of drugs come from Colombia across the region, however, the estimate for the coming months is that the figure reaches 2 thousand tons.
The second cause of increased drug presence is the wake of the peace process, where a division in the Guerrilla is expected, and small groups will focus on drug trafficking.
Another problem is that the guerrillas will not surrender all firearms in their possession, so that shipments of cocaine will also have the weapons used by these groups, and they’ll be introduced to the region,”
explained Mata.
In the light of this situation, the security chief said an alliance with Colombia and Panama has created to fight it. Mata hopes more countries in the region to join the initiative.