The President of Bolivia, coca leaf to chew up the UN to prove its harmlessness

Bolivian President Evo Morales agreed to the original way to express their attitude to drugs at a meeting of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna. Resentful of the fact that popular in his country's coca consider a drug, the president out a list of plants and began to chew him defiantly. As stated by Morales may cook and is a stimulant, but is absolutely harmless.

As the channel Vesti.ru, the conference still refused to believe the arguments of Morales and condemned his gesture.

The President of Bolivia is a strong supporter of the revival of traditional culture in his country of coca. Evo Morales announced the plant, even a national treasure, in accordance with the Constitution, adopted in February 2009.

As reported by , Bolivia ranks third in world production of coca leaf. The plant serves as the main raw material for hard drugs cocaine and its derivatives. First place remains Colombia, where coca bushes are occupied 150 thousand hectares, the second - Peru from 97 thousand hectares.

Under the agreement, which Bolivia has signed with the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, as early as 1961, the country had over 25 years of eradicating the cultivation of coca. But that never happened.

Prior to his departure to Vienna, Morales said that he was going to convince the members of the UN Commission to reconsider legislation that provides penalties for the cultivation of coca, because it is in his duties as president and head of the country. "

As pointed out by Morales, the coca-growing has a thousand-year history and is inextricably linked with the traditions of the people of Bolivia. According to the president, strict penalties for the cultivation of coca is a "provocation against the identity and culture" the Bolivian people.

As has been emphasized, Evo Morales, the coca leaf, primarily used in traditional medicine as a useful medicine and health food supplements, as well as in religious ceremonies, not for drug production.

At the same time, Morales was in favor of actively combating drug trafficking. Only in the last two years have been slaughtered around 18 thousand hectares of illegal coca planting.

Agreement between Russia and Bolivia on cooperation in this field was signed during the visit of Morales in Moscow in February 2009.

According to experts, once in November last year in the territory of Bolivia Evo Morales on the order has been completely halted the activities of U.S. drug supply from Bolivia have increased. Then, Morales accused the U.S. office is in the economic support of the country, the authorities which are in opposition to the central leadership. Bolivia is now particularly in need of Russia as a partner in the fight against drugs.