The New King of Coke
The story, and modern condition of Peru, its people, and several aspects of its culture and society that are explored in the Vice News documentary The New King of Coke begins where so many investigative drug documentaries do and must - Nixon's declaration of the ongoing War on Drugs. The story continues with the also ongoing demand, and subsequent opportunities presented to benefit as a means of supply for those who provide the drugs to countries seen as being ahead of the curve as far as the War on Drugs is concerned; countries far away from the Latin American lands associated with the growth, curation, and exportation of the drug.
When we think of a time in history being a pinnacle for Latin American coke dealers and American cocaine use, we think the 80's, and if there is one specific Latin American country that comes to mind, its Colombia for most people. However, most people who have this Colombian cocaine association also know that the American war on drugs also inspired the Colombian government to take similar action, and that after much violent opposition, Colombia ceased in being the powerhouse it once was. Most people also know that cocaine continues to be used widely, and after viewing this documentary you'll have a firsthand look into the world that makes the continued use of the drug possible.
Sustaining demand drove production of cocaine to Peru where there are prime environmental conditions, and no shortage of people being introduced to the business of making the illicit substance at ages almost too young to fathom. The early exposure to the lifestyle of cocaine farming and production puts the industry in a very different light for those in Peru who see this as the most profitable and in many ways efficient way to get by, versus government officials who strive to make a show out of how well they are doing in eradicating the growth and sale of cocaine in Peru.
Those government officials interviewed for The New King of Coke will have you to believe that growth has decreased, and why wouldn't it have with U.N. involvement and a military presence similar to the one in Colombia? The staggering statistics for growth potential presented in the film may answer that question and many more.
I was in Colombia for the mouth of Jan/16 still a lot of coke in Colombia everywhere , a lot!!!
We are the cause of the problem. The so called war on drugs employs millions of people. This is a major industry. Privatization of prisons. just more corporate profit.
Drugs are the symptom of a very big problem we have to fix.
i would of took that 1kg pure brick and gone on a month of partying, coke, hookers, beer and clubs.
Keep doing somthing over and over that fails.. Instead of trying a new way..Is the definition of insane.
Does Chad Hurley ever go by the name Terrence Shackleford?
The U.S.A. should put the money into drug rehabilitation instead of military, the war is obviously a tragic joke, . . . so people who are making huge amounts of money in the U.S.A. government or who have been associated with the government in political positions are perfectly happy with the situation as is . Historically the policy in Asia was to addict people there to opium, at home in the U.S. the political policy seems to focus on some form or other of cocaine . . rehabilitation has no funding to speak of . . . Wonder what black hole the profits are going down . . .
How could the drug lords and the Peruvian officers not be in cahoots? Would that even be possible to wage a real war?
Moving dirt into and out of a hole. That's exactly what a fake war would consist of. Nobody gets killed, people on both sides gets rich.
That kind of approach, expecting the local govt to stand up against the biggest local commodity cartel, is not going to be effective. I'm surprised anyone funded that approach. Seems naive.
What would happen if we decriminalised cocaine? We would stop the war, which would free up a lot of tax revenue. And tax the drug itself. Surely a new system is possible? Seems to be a real lack of creative thinking, just the same old ideas from 50 years ago. Or is there other things in play here? Remember the Government is a cartel too, it protects it's own interests like any group of people, and taxes to fight the war is easy money, they just take it.
The most interesting part was the purifying process in the clandestine lab.
cocaine, now that's a new one. funny how vice loves to travel to third world countries to reveal how f--ked up things are. maybe they should do something on williamsburg where they're based.
why down rated so much.. telling the truth?
A total failure for America and any other nation that is involved in trafficking of Cocaine.