Lima, Peru
Thousands of farmers marched into Peru’s capital this week to protest restrictions on the cultivation of coca, the plant used to make cocaine. The demonstrators walked for a week to get to Lima from the jungle areas where coca thrives. The government is demanding that the growers cut back on coca crops to help in the war on drugs. But coca is the main cash crop for thousands of Peruvians. Farmers say they can’t afford to switch to cheaper crops such as bananas and coffee without government subsidies. “We are against drug trafficking,” said Marisela Guillen, a leader of the group. “We just want to survive.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
'We already have the tools to do better'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Kurdish PKK militia to disband for Turkey talksspeed read The Kurdistan Workers' Party will disarm after four decades of armed conflict with Turkey, putting an end to 'one of the longest insurgencies in the Middle East'
-
US, China agree to lower tariffs for 90 daysspeed read US tariffs will fall to 30% from 145%, while China will cut its tax on US imports to 10% from 125%
