The precarious presence and legitimacy of the State and the high levels of impunity and administrative corruption that lead to violent conflicts have aided this process. The cocaine economy has also brought forth great ecological deterioration due to the destruction of over 50,000 hectares of Amazon forest, water contamination and the excessive use of chemicals. Without a doubt there are many families in the Putumayo who make a living outside the coca business. It is also a fact that the coca economy has penetrated politics and all public administration spheres, including security administrations. These monies have also funded political campaigns and aided in the election of many public officials.
Cocaine is the number one generator of corruption and violence on all levels in the country.
The solutions to this drug problem are very complicated. We cannot inflame the war by naively simplifying a problem that is very complex. The cultivators, usually simple, poor peasants assisted by narcoguerillas, are not the only problem. Many other parallel economies spin off the cocaine economy. Among these are the trafficking of inputs for the growing of the crop itself, arms deals and anti-narcotic police and a great number of middlemen who buy the basic paste, in addition to the refiners and the international drug trade kingpins, etc.