Bolivia has launched a renewed campaign on Thursday to eradicate and 'rationalize' illegal coca crops, responding to a 10% increase in such plantations in the country as reported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for 2025. The campaign commenced with a symbolic event in Chimoré, Cochabamba, which is one of the main coca-producing regions and a political stronghold for former president Evo Morales, who led the country from 2006 to 2019. This initiative reflects the government's intent to tackle rising drug production while also addressing local economic concerns.

During the announcement, Interior Minister Marco Antonio Oviedo extended an invitation to local producers for dialogue regarding economic and productive development in the Tropico de Cochabamba. He expressed aims to transform the area into a 'tourism and sports hub'. Despite this call for dialogue, Oviedo made it clear that the government would not tolerate the prevalence of narcotrafficking in the country, underscoring the tension between eradicating coca crops and the local community's reliance on them for economic stability.

This move comes amidst a growing concern about drug trafficking in Bolivia, particularly given the historical context of coca cultivation in the region, which is deeply intertwined with local culture and economy. The Bolivian government's approach seeks to balance developmental aspirations with stringent measures against narcotrafficking, highlighting the challenges they face in harmonizing local economic needs with national security priorities.