Bolivia’s Pioneering work with the WHO

Transcript Abstract

President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, David Choquehuanca, highlights how the coca leaf has been unjustly criminalized since the 1961 Single Convention, disregarding its ancestral nature, its role in spiritual balance, and its potential as a medicinal and nutritional resource.

In this presentation, Choquehuanca challenges the colonial narrative that stigmatizes the coca leaf, emphasizing Bolivia’s efforts to decolonize international policies through critical engagement with the World Health Organization. This act of historical justice seeks to correct decades of discrimination and promote the revaluation of the coca leaf—not as a narcotic, but as a symbol of life and resistance.

The intervention underscores the coca leaf’s potential to contribute to global well-being through its traditional uses and sustainable industrialization. Additionally, it highlights the importance of fostering intercultural scientific dialogue that acknowledges both ancestral knowledge and modern scientific advancements, encouraging complementarity between cultures.

With a call for unity among sister nations, and especially for Colombia’s support in this cause, the Vice President reaffirms Bolivia’s commitment to leading the fight for truth and justice for the coca leaf, transforming it into a bridge toward a more equitable world in harmony with Mother Earth.