The U.S.-led war on drugs has failed to suppress illicit drug production or trafficking, while harsh drug laws have led to human rights abuses, overcrowded prisons and threats to democratic institutions. WOLA advocates reducing the harms caused by both the drug trade and by the misguided war on drugs. Across the hemisphere, we work for drug reforms that protect human rights and public health.
These videos feature people who have spent years in prison enduring harsh sentences that are disproportionate to the crimes they committed. The videos are part of a TNI/WOLA study investigating the prison systems of eight countries in Latin America. The people in the videos are featured because they represent the rarely revealed human side of the war on drugs. These personal stories illustrate the unjust impact of current drug laws.
People like Mario Vargas are facing disproportionate sentences for minor offenses. In this video, Mario, a man from the highlands of Bolivia who used to work as a construction worker, plumber and waiter, describes how he was recruited by friends for night work “stomping” coca leaves. “Stomping” is the lowest level of cocaine production. One night, there was a raid. Mario remembers being beaten, interrogated on the spot, and eventually sentenced to 10 years for drug trafficking under Law 1008.
After seven years in prison, Mario is trying to negotiate parole to be with his suffering children but the up front price – $900 dollars – is more than he can afford.
