Cocaine And Crime Are Amplifying Colombia’s Crude Oil Crisis

For as long as many people remember Colombia has been a violence riven country that has been a major hub in the global cocaine trade. What many people do not realize is that Colombia is one of Latin America’s largest oil producers. For the first seven months of 2021, Colombia pumped an average of 730,015 barrels per day, ranking it as the region’s third largest producer behind Mexico and then Brazil.

Over the last three decades Colombia has become increasingly dependent on petroleum to drive its economy, leaving it vulnerable to brutal…