Local elections in Colombia: candidates giving away drugs for votes
by Adriaan Alsema August 25, 2019
Politicians in Colombia’s coffee region are giving away drugs to sway consumers to vote for them, according to community leaders.
According to a representative of the federation of Community Action Boards, Jaime Gutierrez, politicians in Pereira and other municipalities in the Risaralda province have aligned with local drug dealers, organized crimes groups and construction business cartels.
Besides offering cash, “young people who are classified as consumers are given doses [of drugs] for votes,” Gutierrez told Caracol Radio.
The community leader representative did not mention specific candidates, but warned that they appear to have made deals with local drug dealers to give away marijuana and basuco, a low-grade cocaine, to potential voters.
More:
https://colombiareports.com/colombias-elections-candidates-giving-away-drugs-for-votes/
