In a first-of-its-kind, six-hour live broadcast ministerial meeting in the South American country, Colombian President Gustavo Petro argued that cocaine is only illegal because of global politics — further claiming that it can be consumed as casually as alcohol, according to a report.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro stated that cocaine is illegal primarily due to its Latin American origin, not because it is worse than whisky. He suggested that legalisation could dismantle the drug trade and highlighted the opioid fentanyl as a greater issue in the US.