Colombia Drug War: Government efforts fail to contain illicit narcotics trade

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02:48

Colombia has long been considered the U.S.'s closest ally in South America. But President Donald Trump is causing controversy. Our correspondent Michelle Begue has more from Bogota.

Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Colombia, a key U.S. ally that is harboring nearly 1.5 million people that have fled from Venezuela.

DONALD TRUMP US PRESIDENT "I'll tell you something, Colombia, your new president of Colombia a really good guy. I met him, we had him at the White House he said how he's going to stop drugs. More drugs are coming out of Colombia right now than before he was president, so he has done nothing for us."

The remarks were considered a surprise attack on Colombia's President Ivan Duque. Colombia's Foreign Minister, Carlos Holmes Trujillo, quickly responded in a government video "efforts to contain the illicit crops have intensified on all fronts."

But government statistics says the administration is failing on most efforts to reduce narco-trafficking. Cocaine seizures and forced eradication of illicit crops dropped when compared to the same period the year before.

According to one drug expert, there are several reasons for Colombia's failing WAR on drugs that includes strategies implemented by the previous Colombian administration.

AUGUSTO PEREZ, DIRECTOR NUEVOS RUMBOS "There was one big mistake and even former president Santos admits it. He suggested to farmers that they would receive subsidies if they stopped producing coca, but what they did was increase cultivation to receive help."

After taking office, President Ivan Duque pledged a new war on drugs. The plan included aerial spraying with glyphosate to eliminate coca crops. The herbicide was outlawed in 2015 because of health risks.

If statistics are any indication, developing an effective drug policy is complex. According to government experts for every three hectares of coca that are eradicated, one hectare is replanted.

Analyst Augusto Perez says even effective crop substitution programs are difficult to develop.

AUGUSTO PEREZ, DIRECTOR NUEVOS RUMBOS "Especially in Colombia where there is an impossible geography. We can't build roads in the Putumayo and Amazon regions, so the problem for farmers is, what they produce can't leave the region and can't be sold. Narcos solve this issue because they have planes and so they can buy crops more easily."

MICHELLE BEGUE BOGOTA, COLOMBIA "U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has since tried to smooth over U.S.-Colombia relations after Trump's remarks with a phone call to Colombia's president on Monday. The two discussed joint actions in reducing coca cultivation and cocaine production while increasing the fight against drug trafficking networks. Michelle Begue, CGTN Bogota Colombia."