A fraud

In Chapare, during the last 10 years, more than 34,000 coca farmers received 85 million dollars as compensation for voluntary coca reduction.

Many of them eradicated, received the money, began a new way of life and are, at the present, the leaders of alternative development.

Others received the money and left the Chapare.

The harmful coca growers, however, received the money from DIRECO and a few weeks later plants new coca.

From 1988 through December 1997, throughout the country, 46,164 hectares of coca leaf were eradicated.

In 1988, there were 48,900 hectares of coca.

As of December 1997, there were 45,800 hectares of coca nationwide, of which 31,500 hectares were found in the Chapare.

What does this all mean?:

That the Bolivian people feel deceived.

With all that money paid, there should not be any coca cultivation left in the Chapare.

Yet, the amount of coca keeps on increasing.

This is why the system of compensation has been modified.

Now, the compensation payment for the eradication of coca is carried out as shown on the chart at the left.