World News for Students of English

09-01-2023 07:00

Groups in Colombia make about 2,000 tons of cocaine every year, which is almost twice as much as they did ten years ago.

Farmers use around 200,000 hectares of land to grow coca, the plant that creates cocaine. This area is five times more than in the time when Pablo Escobar was the leader of the powerful Medellín Cartel. Cocaine business has an impact on many countries, businesses and people, too.

Ten years ago, the Colombian government wanted to destroy coca fields, and it negotiated with the largest unofficial military group in the country. The result wasn’t good. When the group got back its power, it threatened farmers to grow coca.

The new president doesn’t want to punish poor coca farmers, but he wants to punish the mafia.

Difficult words: cartel (an organized group of criminals from Mexico and South America), punish (to do something unpleasant if someone doesn’t do what they want), mafia (an organized group of criminals from Italy or other parts of the world).

You can watch the original video in the Level 3 section.