Morales does not convince the INCB on virtues of coca

The President Evo Morales could not convince the virtues of the chewing of coca, an ancestral practice among Andean indigenous people, to a Committee of the international control Board of Narcotics (INCB) which met on Thursday.

"Have asked INCB that join our request to repair a historical damage." "We are discussing more than one hour, I think that we have convinced some, but others do not understand," said after meeting with the head of the Board, Hamid Ghodse.

Ghodse presides over a mission of this unit of the United Nations was invited by the Government to listen to the authorities on traditional uses of coca and the progress in combating drug.

The International Convention of narcotics of the 1961 UN penalizes traditional uses of coca and establishes its eradication in 25 years. Such uses include chewing of the dry leaf of the plant

In its natural state coca is not a u000anarcotic. Indigenous and popular sectors chewing dried leaves or prepare infusions to counteract the effects of the altitude in the Andean region or with other medicinal purposes and foodstuffs.

The plant is also part of mystical Pachamana (mother earth) rituals and shamans believe to see into the future when they no longer fall leaves to the floor.

Morales, who forged his career as an advocate for coca, launched an international campaign to get the UN to withdraw the veto uses traditional of this plant.

"It is a historical mistake (ban) and we want to change international standards that are wrong." They spend more than 50 years and have not been able to meet the standard, I told you that not they will be able to enforce and that is why we have put forward an amendment (to the 1961 Convention) ", said Morales at a press conference

Ghodse made no statements to the press but Morales said the officer commented that the INCB is obliged to u000aenforce standards international.,

Friday Ghodse will travel to the Chapare, one of the main coca producing areas and political bastion of Morales in the Centre of the country, to the advances in the eradication of surplus crops to those authorized by the Government for the domestic consumption of coca.

The 31,000 in the country 12,000 hectares are legal and are intended for traditional uses, the rest is diverted to cocaine Bolivia is third producer in the world after Colombia and Peru.

Bolivia resigned in June to the 1961 Convention after failing his efforts to bring about an amendment to the opposition of United States. Morales announced that his country will return to accede to the Treaty of January 1, 2012 but this time stating their observations.

The INCB said then that such management is "unprecedented" and that it may undermine "the integrity of the global drug control system".

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