Ticuna Youth Caught in Amazon's Cocaine Harvesting Nightmare

The Ticuna and Yagua communities in the Amazon's tri-border area are facing severe threats from drug trafficking, illegal mining, and deforestation. According to Francisco Hernández Cayetano, president of the Federation of Ticuna and Yagua Communities of the Lower Amazon (FECOTYBA), nearly 60-70% of the forests have been deforested due to drug trafficking.

The arrival of narcotraffickers and illegal miners has led to social instability, deforestation, and water pollution in Peru. Many Ticuna youth are being drawn into coca harvesting for drug traffickers due to a lack of alternative employment options, leading to substance abuse problems among the community's children.

Cayetano explains that it has become 'somewhat institutionalized' for families to send their children to work in coca fields, which exposes them to substance abuse and harms their education. He emphasizes the need for state investment in productive projects and alternative employment opportunities to combat this issue.