Los Yungas, about 480km away, is the only region where growing is legal. The government lets cocaleros farm 11,840 hectares, but the UN Illicit Crop Monitoring Program estimates that an additional 5,200 hectares are planted. The hillsides of Asunta, for example, are an endless patchwork of illegal green coca bushes.
Now the government is eyeing Los Yungas too. Next month it will begin paying some farmers to destroy their plants and encourage them to switch crops voluntarily. But although authorities promise there'll be no uprooting by force, tempers are running high. After the army enlarged a checkpoint to track illegal drugs out of Los Yungas, cocaleros threatened a blockade, fearing eradication was coming.
Farmers say alternative crops such as coffee and bananas are harder to grow and transport, and fetch a lower price. They are staking their hopes on Morales.
"We're not going to let up. We'll keep fighting no matter what the consequences, because there's no other product that sustains us like coca," said Asunta farmer Juan Condori. "It's the only crop that supports the whole family."
RSS