Growing_C

 https://archive.ph/yLSaW

My mistake: there were 22 strikes, and some 80 people killed:https://archive.ph/yLSaW. I would be curious on how Spanis-speaking media have presented this...

Direct answer: Spanish-language media have presented the U.S. strikes near Venezuela as a major escalation of military pressure, reporting that 22 attacks destroyed boats and killed around 80 people, while stressing that Washington claims they were drug-smuggling vessels but has offered no public evidence. Outlets highlight the humanitarian impact, the legality debate, and the broader geopolitical confrontation with Venezuela.

How Spanish-speaking media framed the events:

El Nacional (Venezuela): Reported that the U.S. carried out 20–22 attacks resulting in about 80 deaths, noting that Washington insists the boats were carrying drugs but has not provided proof. The coverage emphasized that the escalation occurs amid growing political confrontation between Trump and the governments of Venezuela and Colombia.

Euronews (Spanish edition): Described the operation as part of “Operación Lanza del Sur”, highlighting that 80 people had died and that Trump had already decided on further military actions against Venezuela. The tone underscored the geopolitical stakes and the possibility of expanded U.S. intervention.

Yahoo Noticias / CNN en Español: Published a chronology of the attacks, mentioning 23 boats destroyed and 87 deaths. They relayed the U.S. Southern Command’s claim that the vessels were “narco-terrorist” boats, but also pointed out contradictions—some boats were reportedly escorting a larger vessel to Suriname, not smuggling drugs to the U.S..

Telemundo (Spanish-language U.S. media): Stressed that the U.S. presence in the Caribbean is the largest in Latin America in decades, with warships including an aircraft carrier. Their reporting framed the attacks as part of a broader military buildup and noted that the vessels were accused of carrying narcotics, though skepticism remains.

Key themes across Spanish-language coverage

Numbers emphasized: 22 strikes, ~80 deaths, 20–23 boats destroyed.

Official narrative: U.S. claims the boats were drug-smuggling vessels linked to “narco-terrorism.”

Skepticism: Media highlight the lack of evidence and contradictions in U.S. accounts.

Legal concerns: Commentators question whether the strikes violate international law.

Geopolitical framing: Coverage ties the attacks to Trump’s broader campaign against Nicolás Maduro and the possibility of regime change.

Humanitarian impact: Reports stress the loss of life and potential destabilization of the region.

In summary: Spanish-speaking outlets present the 22 U.S. strikes and ~80 deaths as a controversial escalation, balancing Washington’s claims of anti-drug operations with serious doubts about evidence, legality, and humanitarian consequences.

So what is the reporting from Colombia?

Direct answer: Colombian media have reported the U.S. strikes near Venezuela with a strong focus on the human impact on Colombian nationals. Outlets like La FM highlighted that Colombians were among those killed in the boats destroyed by the U.S., and President Gustavo Petro publicly accused Washington of assassinating Colombian citizens. Coverage in Colombia frames the incident not only as part of the U.S. anti-drug campaign but also as a bilateral crisis, raising questions of sovereignty, legality, and accountability.

🇨🇴 How Colombian outlets presented the story

La FM (Colombia): Reported that Colombians were aboard Venezuelan boats destroyed by the U.S., citing The New York Times. The article noted that Petro accused the U.S. of killing Colombian nationals in these attacks. This angle makes the strikes a domestic issue in Colombia, not just a regional one.

RTVE (Spanish, covering Colombia-Venezuela context): Framed the U.S. campaign (Operación Lanza del Sur) as a regional escalation, stressing that attacks occurred in waters off both Venezuela and Colombia. The reporting emphasized that the strikes, justified by Washington as anti-narcotics, have heightened tensions with both governments.

El Nacional (Venezuela, widely read in Colombia): Noted that the escalation is happening amid a political confrontation between Trump and the governments of Venezuela and Colombia, directly linking Colombia into the narrative.

🔑 Key Colombian perspectives

National victims: Colombian media stress that Colombians were killed, making the strikes a matter of national concern.

Petro’s accusation: The Colombian president has accused the U.S. of assassinating nationals, sharpening diplomatic tensions.

Regional framing: Coverage ties the strikes to a broader U.S. military campaign in the Caribbean and Pacific, affecting both Venezuela and Colombia.

Legality and sovereignty: Colombian outlets question whether the U.S. violated international law and Colombian sovereignty.

Geopolitical impact: Reporting situates Colombia as a direct stakeholder in the crisis, not just an observer.

📌 Conclusion

Colombian reporting differs from Venezuelan or U.S. narratives by personalizing the crisis: it’s not only about drug trafficking or geopolitics, but about Colombian citizens killed in U.S. strikes. This has turned the issue into a bilateral dispute between Bogotá and Washington, with Petro’s government demanding accountability.

Are Colombia and Venezuela both suitable for the cultivation of cocaine?

Quick answer: Yes, Colombia and Venezuela both have conditions suitable for coca cultivation, but Colombia is by far the dominant producer, accounting for more than two‑thirds of global coca crops. Venezuela has suitable terrain and climate, but its role is more as a transit and trafficking hub than a major cultivator.

🌱 Colombia: The global epicenter

Largest producer worldwide: Over 67% of the world’s coca cultivation is in Colombia.

Scale of cultivation: In 2023, Colombia had about 253,000 hectares of coca bush, producing an estimated 2,664 metric tons of cocaine.

Geographic spread: Cultivation is concentrated in departments like Putumayo, Norte de Santander, and Cauca, but has expanded across 16 of 19 coca-producing regions.

Climate & soil: Colombia’s humid, tropical lowlands and Andean foothills provide ideal conditions for coca growth, with high yields per hectare.

Trend: Production has been rising for a decade, making Colombia the heart of the global cocaine boom.

🌱 Venezuela: Suitable but secondary

Environmental suitability: Venezuela’s climate and geography (humid tropics, forested areas) are suitable for coca cultivation, similar to Colombia’s.

Cultivation scale: Unlike Colombia, Venezuela is not a top cultivator. Reports suggest limited coca growing, with most activity linked to processing labs and trafficking routes.

Role in trafficking: Venezuela’s porous borders and political instability have made it a key transit corridor for Colombian cocaine heading to the Caribbean, Central America, and beyond.

Seizures & monitoring: Authorities report large drug seizures, but independent monitors note that Venezuela’s role is more about facilitating movement of cocaine than producing it at scale.

                                                                                   

📌 Conclusion

Both Colombia and Venezuela have natural conditions favorable to coca cultivation, but Colombia is the undisputed global leader in production, while Venezuela plays a secondary role as a trafficking hub with comparatively smaller cultivation.

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📊 Key takeaways from the chart

Colombia dominates: Starting at ~160,000 hectares in 2000, coca cultivation dipped in the mid‑2000s due to eradication campaigns, then surged again after 2015. By 2025, Colombia reached ~265,000 hectares, the highest in its history.

Venezuela’s role: Essentially negligible until the mid‑2010s, with small‑scale crops appearing (~1,000 ha in 2015). By 2025, estimates suggest ~4,000 hectares, reflecting reports that Venezuela has shifted from being only a transit country to also hosting limited cultivation.

Contrast: Colombia’s coca area is two orders of magnitude larger than Venezuela’s, underscoring its position as the world’s primary producer.

Geopolitical context: While Colombia’s expansion is tied to rural poverty, weak state presence, and cartel demand, Venezuela’s limited cultivation is linked to political instability and criminal groups exploiting border regions.

📌 Conclusion

The timeline shows that Colombia remains the epicenter of global coca cultivation, while Venezuela, though climatically suitable, plays a secondary role with small but increasing cultivation. The real significance of Venezuela lies in its trafficking corridors and processing labs, not in large‑scale coca fields.

Would you like me to overlay global production trends (Colombia, Peru, Bolivia) on the same chart, so you can see how Colombia’s dominance compares to the other Andean producers?

Are there other neighboring nations that are also suitable?

Yes — several neighboring nations of Colombia and Venezuela also have the right climate and geography for coca cultivation, though their roles differ in scale and importance:

🌱 Peru

Second-largest global producer after Colombia.

Cultivation scale: Around 80,000–90,000 hectares of coca crops in recent years.

Regions: Valle de los ríos Apurímac, Ene y Mantaro (VRAEM) is the main hotspot.

Suitability: Mountainous terrain, humid valleys, and fertile soils make Peru highly suitable.

Role: Long history of coca cultivation, both traditional (indigenous use) and illicit.

🌱 Bolivia

Third-largest producer globally.

Cultivation scale: Roughly 30,000 hectares of coca crops.

Regions: Chapare and Yungas valleys are the main centers.

Suitability: Subtropical valleys provide excellent conditions.

Role: Coca is legal for traditional uses (chewing, tea), but diversion into cocaine production is widespread.

🌱 Ecuador

Suitability: Climate and terrain are favorable, especially in Amazonian and coastal regions.

Scale: Coca cultivation is limited compared to Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia.

Role: Primarily a transit country for Colombian cocaine, though small-scale cultivation has been reported.

🌱 Brazil

Suitability: The Amazon basin has conditions suitable for coca.

Scale: Cultivation is minimal, but Brazil is a major transit and consumption market.

Role: Cocaine flows through Brazil toward Europe and Africa.

🌱 Guyana & Suriname

Suitability: Both have humid tropical climates suitable for coca.

Scale: No significant coca cultivation reported.

Role: Increasingly mentioned as transit corridors for Colombian and Venezuelan cocaine shipments.

                                                                                 

📌 Conclusion

Besides Colombia and Venezuela, Peru and Bolivia are the other major coca producers, while Ecuador, Brazil, Guyana, and Suriname are climatically suitable but play more of a transit role in the cocaine trade.

                                                                                    

What is the history of cocaine cultivation in these regions. Was is religious or medicinal?

Quick answer: The history of coca cultivation in the Andes (Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and surrounding regions) is thousands of years old. It began as a religious and medicinal practice, not as a narcotic industry. Indigenous peoples considered coca a sacred plant, used in rituals, offerings, and daily life to relieve hunger, fatigue, and altitude sickness. The transformation into cocaine as a global drug only occurred in the late 19th and 20th centuries with Western chemical extraction.

🌱 Ancient and Indigenous Use

Sacred plant: Among Andean peoples, coca was revered as “Mama Coca”, a protective spirit of nature.

Religious rituals: Leaves were offered to mountain gods (Apus) and used in ceremonies to ensure fertility, protection, and harmony.

Medicinal role: Chewing coca leaves (often with lime to release alkaloids) helped with altitude sickness, hunger suppression, and pain relief. It was compared to drinking strong coffee and taking aspirin.

Daily life: Carried in decorated pouches, coca was chewed by farmers, travelers, and warriors to sustain energy during long journeys.

📜 Colonial and Post-Colonial Period

Spanish conquest: Initially, Spaniards tried to suppress coca use, seeing it as “pagan.” But they quickly realized it was essential for indigenous laborers in mines and fields, as it reduced fatigue and hunger. Coca became integrated into the colonial economy.

Medicinal interest: By the 16th century, European physicians documented coca’s effects. It was exported in small amounts for study and medicinal use.

⚗️ Modern Transformation

19th century: In 1859, German chemist Albert Niemann isolated cocaine alkaloid from coca leaves. Soon, cocaine was marketed in Europe and North America as a medicine and stimulant.

Medicinal products: Cocaine was used in tonics, wines (like Vin Mariani), and even early formulations of Coca-Cola. Doctors prescribed it for anesthesia and depression.

20th century shift: By the early 1900s, awareness of addiction risks led to restrictions. Coca cultivation in the Andes increasingly supplied illicit cocaine markets rather than traditional uses.

🌍 Regional Continuity

Colombia, Peru, Bolivia: These remain the heartlands of coca cultivation, where traditional chewing and tea coexist with illicit cocaine production.

Venezuela, Ecuador, Brazil, Guyana, Suriname: Suitable climates, but historically less involved in cultivation. Their role has been more in trafficking corridors.

Cultural persistence: Despite global stigma, coca leaves are still legally consumed in Bolivia and Peru for traditional and medicinal purposes, recognized as part of indigenous heritage.

📌 Conclusion

Coca cultivation in the Andes began as a religious and medicinal tradition, deeply tied to indigenous cosmology and survival in high-altitude environments. Only with Western chemical extraction in the 19th century did coca become transformed into cocaine, shifting its role from sacred leaf to global narcotic commodity.

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