Colombia Aims to Eradicate More Than 321,000 Acres of Coca in 2020

A soldier of the Colombian National Army stands guard during an operation to eradicate coca plants at a plantation in Taraza, Antioquia province, Colombia Sept. 10, 2019. Luis Jaime Acosta/Reuters

BOGOTA, Colombia—Colombia hopes this year to eradicate 130,000 hectares (321,237 acres) of coca, the base ingredient in cocaine, Defense Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo said Feb. 10.

A wide variety of methods will be made available to remove the coca plants, the minister said, including the possible re-introduction of aerial spraying of the herbicide glyphosate.