Living in Peru : your everyday companion

(LIP-jl) -- Peruvian President Alan Garcia Perez affirmed that his administration will resume forced coca plant eradication efforts that were temporarily suspended as part of an agreement with striking coca farmers from the jungle department of San Martin.

The agreement, which was signed by coca farmer union representatives and Peru's Agriculture Minister Jose Salazar, allowed coca farmers from the area of Tocache to grow their crops if they followed certain conditions and stipulations, such as the detailed registration of all their growing and sales activities.

"The period of the agreement is over! The Interior Ministry and the our anti-drug agencies should act accordingly and resume eradication activities at once. When will we start doing what we say?", Garcia emphatically sustained.

The Peruvian leader manifested that it is his obligation to continue the fight on illicit coca cultivation and the drug trade.

Additionally, the head of state expressed his concern for the growing number of young Peruvians who have experimented with drug use.

"According to some NGO's, there are more than 100,000 teenagers and young adults who have consumed drugs. This causes a perverse effect on the country. Are we going to let drugs destroy our society?", asked Garcia.