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(Reuters) - Bolivian President Evo Morales defended Bolivians' right to chew coca leaves, the main ingredient of coc aine, on Monday, saying it was an ancient tradition and the world's No. 3 coc aine producer was working to fight drug trafficking.
Bolivia's condition for rejoining the convention met resistance from 15 countries, including the United States and the rest of the G8 group of industrial nations, according to U.N. spokeswoman Arancha Hinojal. But the objections received by the United Nations ahead of Thursday's midnight deadline fell far short.
In order to block Bolivia's return to the convention a full third of its signatories — or 63 — needed to object.
Among nations objecting were Germany, Mexico, Russia, Sweden, Britain, Japan, The Netherlands and Portugal. Notably, neither Peru nor Colombia, the world's two other coc aine-producing nations, filed objections. Nor did any other South American nation.
To press for coca's decriminalization, Bolivia's first indigenous president has chewed it at international forums, bestowed coca-leaf art on such figures as former U.S. Secretary of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and promoted the leaf as a "nutritional" ingredient fit for school lunches.
The Six Federations of the Tropics of Cochabamba on Monday called for a massive concentration of rejoicing and "acullico" (coca chewing) to celebrate the legalization of the coca leaf, approved by a majority of the 183 countries in the United Nations Organization (UN ). In La Paz it was announced that the festival will be held across the country.
René Jiménez, vice president of the Six Federations of the Tropics, said that the act in Cochabamba will be attended by President Evo Morales, national authorities and social organizations.
He said that about 80 thousand people participate in the event which will start at 10.00 in the Viaduct bridge, located at Kilometer Three White Avenue Galindo of the city of Cochabamba.
Originally posted by daskakik
reply to post by Trueman
Why would you call it ignorant or stupid when it is a cultural practice which goes back thousands of years and poses no threat to its consumers? If anything the UN was ignorant in declaring it illegal. Of course they couldn't have their black ops if they hadn't.
edit on 12-1-2013 by daskakik because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by snowspirit
I watched a documentary about the practice a few years ago, and the leaves don't have any effect stronger than caffeine, although they're much healthier for them, and with a diet that consists largely of potatoes, the leaves help to digest the carbohydrates.
Originally posted by daskakik
reply to post by CosmicEgg
Putting the title and the first line together gives
""Bolivia defends coca consumption at U.N.", I don't know if they just shown ignorance or they did it for any other stupid reason, but the coca leave (NOT THE DRUG), was declared an illegal narcotic in the 1961 U.N."
To me that reads like a jab at Bolivia. It could be that that is not the way it was intended and they were to be taken on their own but it sure wasn't obvious.
edit on 12-1-2013 by daskakik because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by CosmicEgg
reply to post by daskakik
Quite obviously he was referring to the fact that the UN made them illegal.
Sometimes our awareness is muddled when we read things. Best policy is to read something else and then come back and re-read the confusing text again. Snapping at someone because of your lack of comprehension has the opposite effect of the one you had intended to achieve.