An effort in late August to eradicate coca crops in Huallaga, central Peru, sparked protests in which two peasant farmers died.

State officials involved in the operation, which began on 27th August, faced strong resistance from locals opposed to the destruction of the illegal crops. Residents claim that, due to the area’s remote location and difficult terrain, coca cultivation represents one of the only viable means of generating income. According to IDL Reporteros, an investigative outfit, 7,000 inhabitants of the Monzón area blockaded a local road in protest at the operation.

Police allege that some of those involved in the demonstrations were carrying firearms and other weapons. In a statement to the press, Huallaga authorities said they responded to this threat with tear gas and by firing warning shots above the crowd. The statement also confirmed that two locals had died, but did not mention any cause of death. Local community leaders meanwhile have claimed the farmers were killed when law enforcement officials opened fire on the demonstrators.

This month’s operation marked the first time that officials have attempted coca crop eradication in the Monzón valley since 1984. Previous efforts were suspended in that year when an attack by Shining Path insurgents left 19 members of the eradication team dead and numerous others injured.

In the months prior to this latest incident, law enforcement agencies have been gradually increasing activity in the region. A recent initiative saw the destruction of equipment and numerous stores of chemicals needed to process coca into cocaine, a much more valuable commodity. Until this week, such operations had faced little opposition from Monzón inhabitants and were conducted largely without incident.