Herbicide testing in
Colombia: The narcos ripped off the results! State Department Feb 1985 tests 4 herbicides, but without useable results.
"IN
PREPARATION FOR THE TEST SPRAYING NAU PROCURED FORMULATIONS IN THE U.S. OF
TORDON 101, TORDON-K AND GARLON-4. GLYPHOSATE WAS PROCURED IN COLOMBIA.
THE TEST SPRAYING WAS CONDUCTED IN AN OPERATION BEGINNING NOVEMBER 26 BY A
TEAM COMPRISED OF THE NAU DIRECTOR, THE NP AGROLOGIST THE ICA AGRONOMIST
AND NP TROOPS. AFTER ESTABLISHING AREA SECURITY AT THE 2-ACRE COCA FIELD,
THE LATTER WAS DIVIDED INTO 24 SECTIONS, EACH OF WHICH WAS TREATED WITH
THE ABOVE FOUR HERB I C IDES AND OTHER COMPOUNDS. THEY WERE APPLIED SINGLY
AT TWO APPLICATION RATES, IN COMBINATIONS OF TWO HERBICIDES AND IN
SEPARATE COMBINATIONS WITH UREA AND WITH SODIUM CHLORIDE. UPON RETURN TO
THE TEST FIELD. A WEEK LATER IT WAS APPARENT THAT CULTIVATORS HAD IN
THE INTERIM STRIPPED LEAVES FROM MANY OF THE PLANTS. THIS MAY HAVE REDUCED
THE RELIABILITY OF THE TEST, BECAUSE THE LEAVES MAY NOT HAVE REMAINED ON
THE PLANTS LONG ENOUGH FOR COMPLETE TRANSLOCATION OF ACTIVE INGREDIENTS TO
VITAL PARTS OF THE PLANTS. PLANT SAMPLES WERE SENT TO THE
U/MISSISSIPPI RESEARCH LABORATORY FOR ANALYSIS AND DETERMINATION OF THE
PRESENCE OF TEST HERBICIDES IN STEMS AND BRANCHES. PLANS WERE MADE FOR
FURTHER TEST SPRAYING ON A PROTECTED CULTIVATION IN JANUARY. THE GOC PLANS
TO INITIATE FULL-SCALE AERIAL ERADICATION OF COCA WHEN A SUITABLE
HERBICIDE IS IDENTIFIED."
Note that this experiment
was designed only to test toxicity on the plants - and not the environment
- and note that is was a failure.
Also note on
page 8 "NAU
DIRECTOR AND USIS/PAO MET WITH EL TIEMPO EDITOR HERNANDO SANTAS TO
DISCUSS HERBICIDE ERADICATION PROGRAM AND PERSONAL CONSUMPTION LOOPHOLE IN
PROPOSED NEW ANTI-NARCOTICS LAW".
Here we have the US Embassy
in Colombia trying to stop the Colombian legislature from decriminalizing
(legalizing small amounts for personal use) drug possession.
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