Colombia produces approximately 70% of the world's cocaine.
November 19, 2025
high
statistical
Share of global cocaine production attributed to Colombia.
Ecuador's geographic position between Peru and Colombia has made it a major transit corridor for cocaine and other drugs bound for the United States and Europe.
November 17, 2025
high
descriptive
Drug trafficking routes through the Andean region.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration estimates that about 90% of the cocaine that reaches the United States originates in Colombia.
October 24, 2025
high
statistical
DEA national-level estimate about cocaine supply origins
Cocaine production in Colombia increased in the years leading up to 2025.
October 24, 2025
high
trend
Observed increase in national cocaine production reported around 2025
Colombian President Gustavo Petro's anti-drug policy emphasizes negotiating agreements with coca growers to promote crop substitution, alongside efforts to pursue major drug lords and combat money laundering, rather than prioritizing primarily repressive measures.
October 24, 2025
medium
policy
Description of the stated components and emphasis of Gustavo Petro's approach to drug policy.
The eastern Pacific Ocean is a major maritime route for smuggling cocaine produced by large producer countries, including Colombia.
October 24, 2025
medium
geographical
Regional context for where cocaine from major producing countries is trafficked by sea.
Colombia was the top recipient of U.S. foreign assistance in the region (South America) as of 2025-10-24.
October 24, 2025
high
temporal
Relative position of Colombia in U.S. foreign assistance flows
The eastern Pacific Ocean is a major smuggling route for cocaine produced by some of the worldâs largest producers, including Colombia.
October 24, 2025
high
temporal
Geographic trafficking routes for cocaine
Gustavo Petro is Colombia's first leftist president (as of 2025).
October 24, 2025
high
temporal
Political history of Colombia
As of 2025, most cocaine destined for the United States originates along Colombiaâs Pacific coast and commonly transits through Ecuador, Peru, or Venezuela before moving north via the Caribbean, Mexico, or increasingly via Pacific maritime routes.
October 23, 2025
high
temporal
Typical trafficking origins and transit routes for cocaine bound for the U.S.
About 75% of the cocaine produced in Colombia is smuggled through the eastern Pacific Ocean rather than through the Caribbean.
October 22, 2025
high
temporal
Routes used to smuggle cocaine produced in Colombia.
Colombia receives approximately $230 million per year in U.S. foreign aid.
October 21, 2025
high
temporal
Annual scale of U.S. financial assistance to Colombia, much of which supports counternarcotics efforts
The National Liberation Army (ELN) is an armed Colombian rebel group.
October 20, 2025
high
definitional
Identifies the ELN as an insurgent organization active in Colombia.
Colombia is the world's largest exporter of cocaine.
October 19, 2025
high
temporal
Baseline statement about Colombia's role in global drug exports.
Ecuador is geographically located between Colombia and Peru and has become a major transit hub for narcotics.
October 18, 2025
high
temporal
Geographic and strategic factors contributing to narcotics transit routes in the Andean region.
Colombia has historically been a close partner to the United States in Latin America.
October 17, 2025
high
contextual
General characterization of diplomatic and security relations between Colombia and the United States over recent decades.
Colombia has historically been one of the closest diplomatic and security partners of the United States in Latin America.
October 09, 2025
high
contextual
Describes long-term bilateral relations between Colombia and the United States.
The United States provided more than $200 million in foreign aid to Colombia in fiscal year 2025.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
Amount of U.S. foreign assistance allocated to Colombia for the U.S. federal fiscal year 2025.
In the U.S. budget year ending 2025-09-30, U.S. payments to Colombia amounted to an estimated $230 million, which was a decline from earlier years when U.S. aid to Colombia exceeded $700 million.
September 30, 2025
high
temporal
Reported levels of U.S. financial assistance to Colombia
Gustavo Petro was the President of Colombia as of 2025-09-23.
September 23, 2025
high
temporal
Identifies the head of state for Colombia at the referenced date.
Colombia was described as the world's largest exporter of cocaine as of 2025-09-23.
September 23, 2025
high
temporal
Characterizes Colombia's role in global cocaine production and export.
According to the United Nations, coca cultivation in Colombia reached an all-time high in 2024.
December 31, 2024
high
temporal
Agricultural trend underlying cocaine production in Colombia.
The United Nations reported that coca cultivation in Colombia reached an all-time high in 2024.
December 31, 2024
high
statistical
A UN finding on the scale of coca cultivation in Colombia.
The cultivation of coca leaves, the critical ingredient for producing cocaine, reached an all-time high in 2024 according to the United Nations.
January 01, 2024
high
temporal
United Nations reporting on coca cultivation levels.
Several countries, including Nicaragua, Palestine, Turkey, Spain, Mexico, Libya and Colombia, indicated support for South Africa's 2023 case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide.
December 01, 2023
high
temporal
International diplomatic support reported in relation to South Africa's ICJ case alleging genocide.
The area dedicated to coca cultivation in Colombia was a record 253,000 hectares (625,000 acres) in 2023, almost triple the amount reported a decade earlier, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
January 01, 2023
high
statistical
Trend in coca cultivation area in Colombia reported by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime.
Panama functions as a transit point for cocaine shipped from South America, mainly Colombia, en route to the United States.
January 01, 2023
high
contextual
Describes a durable trafficking route and Panama's role in regional cocaine flows.
The United Nations estimated in 2023 that Colombia had about 625,000 acres under drug cultivation and produced at least 2,600 tons of cocaine.
January 01, 2023
high
temporal
United Nations national estimates of coca cultivation area and cocaine production for 2023.
Gustavo Petro is a former member of a leftist guerrilla organization and has served as President of Colombia since his inauguration on 2022-08-07.
August 07, 2022
high
temporal
Biographical and political background of a national leader.
Since the 2010s, Ecuador has become a key transit point for cocaine produced in neighboring Colombia and Peru, a development that has been associated with spikes in homicides and other violent crimes.
January 01, 2010
high
temporal
Relationship between drug transit routes and rising violent crime in Ecuador.
Colombia is an ally of the United States and is not a member of NATO.
high
descriptive
Colombia has an established bilateral security relationship with the United States while not being part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Colombia is designated by the United States as a major nonâNATO ally.
high
status
Major nonâNATO ally is a U.S. designation for certain partner countries.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has pursued closer ties with Venezuelan President NicolĂĄs Maduro while signaling a distancing of Colombia from the United States.
high
political_alignment
Describes the foreign-policy orientation and diplomatic alignment of Colombia under Gustavo Petro.
Colombia is the world's top producer and exporter of cocaine.
high
statistical
Baseline of global cocaine production and export.
Cocaine produced in Colombia is frequently purchased by Mexican drug trafficking organizations and then smuggled into the United States across the U.S.âMexico border.
high
process
Common trafficking route linking Colombian production to U.S. markets.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) states that approximately 90% of the cocaine that reaches the United States originates from Colombia.
high
statistical
DEA estimate on the geographic origin of cocaine trafficked to the United States.
Buenaventura, Colombia, is a strategic maritime departure point for cocaine shipments from the country.
high
temporal
Geographic characterization of a major Pacific port used in cocaine exportation.