This Is Eliécer

[Donde]

Standing next to a coca schrub. For twenty years Eliécer grew coca and processed it into cocaine like all the other farmers in Guaviare Department. The product was sold to the FARC (Fuerzas Arnadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) guerrilla who tightly controlled the department out side the city of San José Del Guaviare and they sold it to the narcotraficantes who shipped it to the US and Europe. Two years ago a peace treaty was signed between the FARC and Colombian government and they were (mostly) dispersed. The government sought various means to replace coca production as the chief economy and among other strategies encouraged and subsidized tourism which had previously existed only on the tiniest scale because of the guerrilla who kidnapped foreigners. Eliécer now offers tourist lodging at his ranch and gives presentations showing step by step how coca leaves were processed into cocaine. In the photo he holds a vial where he keeps a chunk of pure cocaine to show tourists.

Here is a bag holding the liquid following processing. In addition to coca it contains cement, gasoline, caustic soda and several other chemicals.

It is cooked or dried into a solid block. Here he holds up a chunk of pure cocaine which he said would have a local value of about six thousand pesos or two dollars US. He said the farmers never sampled the product.

One time the police came in a helicopter and set fire to the pile of coca leaves kept under a shelter. You can see the burnt wooden beam. They took a photo of the blaze and left. He was able to put it out before much damage was done. He said they would show the pictures of the "destroyed operation" to their commander and get either extra pay or extra time off.

He said the guerrilla were the law and were very strict but were good stewards of the land. They prohibited hunting, the cutting of trees and any commercial fishing of the rivers. If some one did something bad like stole a cow or raped a woman they would be warned not to do it again. If they repeated the offense they'd be tied to a tree for a couple of days. If there was a third offense they'd be told to get out or be shot.

 

[Dean_Gretsch]

Wow. Very good presentation. At first I was afraid for you showing these, then I read your post. Nicely done.

 

[Donde]

Thank you Dean.

 

[Tropicalmemories]

Very interesting, thank you.

In Northern Thailand the King's Royal Project set up hill station demonstration farms to show the local farmers how to grow fruit and vegetables for export - apparently this was more profitable for the farmers than the illegal crops, so good business drove out the drugs.

 

[Fujidave]

Good shots, and a great information.