Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "Villa Tunari massacre" in English language version.
Operation Blast Furnace was designed to lower the market price of the coca leaf by destroying cocaine laboratories, thus reducing the demand for raw coca. On July 18, 1986, Bolivian troops, aided by American pilots, moved into the Beni, Chapare, and Santa Cruz regions. Before the troops arrived, however, the traffickers deserted all the drug processing labs, and the troops found no narcotics.
Peasants alleged that DEA officials in the Chapare instructed the DIRECO staff to use the herbicides.
This law restricted the means of eradication to inefficient manual procedures. Thus, coca growers have demonstrated that as an organized force, they have enough political power to influence and restrain the Bolivian government.
Despite her perception of the Leopards as being responsible for the raids, interviews with others in the region suggested that civilians employed by the United States Government, both American and Bolivian, play a major role by pushing or nudging the Bolivian policemen into action day by day. … Almost every time that the one Bolivian helicopter assigned to the anti-drug effort in the Chapare takes to the air in search of stamping pits, an American or Bolivian working for the United States Government goes along to help spot targets for ground troops to raid.
Despite her perception of the Leopards as being responsible for the raids, interviews with others in the region suggested that civilians employed by the United States Government, both American and Bolivian, play a major role by pushing or nudging the Bolivian policemen into action day by day. … Almost every time that the one Bolivian helicopter assigned to the anti-drug effort in the Chapare takes to the air in search of stamping pits, an American or Bolivian working for the United States Government goes along to help spot targets for ground troops to raid.
