Cooperation and Drug Policies: Trends in Peru in the Twenty-First Century

In 2012, Peru overtook Colombia as the world's largest cultivator of coca. As of December 31, 2012, the area under cultivation in Peru was 60,400 hectacres, about 12,000 more hectacres than Colombia. However, under the administration of Ollanta Humala (2011-present), Peru cooperated closely with the United States as well as with Brazil and Colombia against drug production and trafficking. Between 2012 and 2014, the Humala government carried out record coca eradication. Military and intelligence ties between Peruvian officials on the one hand and U.S., Brazilian, and Colombian officials on the other increased considerably. This chapter explores the reasons for Peru's cooperation and its results.