Everyone has an opinion on the war on drugs, and here in Colombia, many are far better placed to make educated decisions about its worth and reach. One of these such people is Carlos Villalon who has been photographing the Colombian conflict, its actors and the drugs trade since 2002. Having embedded himself with guerrillas, paramilitaries and more, Carlos has seen first-hand the effect of coca production for its use in cocaine on Colombia, the economy and on a global scale. 

We sit down with Carlos and scan some of the images he has chosen over the length of his career to illustrate his new book entitled: Coca, the lost war on drugs. 

The images are both powerful and thought-provoking and follow the passage of this sacred indigenous plant through its evolution in the comunas of Medellin, the Narco Corridas of Mexico and finally in the slums of the New York's Bronx. 

This book requires funding and could end up being a mandatory text in various classrooms. So, check out the Kickstarter campaign and throw some dollars at an incredibly important project which will show the world Colombia, this sacred plant and how we have damaged something ancestral and otherworldly. 

Link: https://kck.st/2HjoCOC

This week we have an incredibly interesting conversation with Colombian academic Diana Maria Valencia about the upcoming presidential elections here. 

On the line with us from my alma mater, the University of Exeter (Devon, UK) where she is studying for a Mphil/PhD in History about food insecurity and agrarian counter reforms in Colombia, she gives us a background of her investigations and a very balanced look at the 2018 elections. 

If we boil down the causes of Colombia's conflict to their most base, then, land rights and reforms are privotal and so Diana Maria is perfectly placed to provide us with a better understanding of the issues in Colombia from her investigations, and then, apply this knowledge to a brief breakdown of what is taking place here before the first round of elections on May 27. 

So, who do we think will come through the first round, Duque, Petro, Vargas Lleras, de la Calle or Fajardo? How can we interpret the opinion polls? All of this and more on the Colombian election special on the Colombia Calling podcast.

Sitting in the incredible and trendy downtown bar Revellion (Calle 16 #4-23) Colombia Calling sits down with two US expats in Bogota, Victoria Mulgannon and Chris Morfas, to talk about their thoughts on President Donald Trump's impending visit this April to Colombia after the Summit of the Americas in Lima, Peru. 

Bringing with them a wealth of well-informed opinions - Mulgannon has worked with USAID and the US Embassy and has now opened the hugely successful Revellion bar, and Morfas is a nonprofit leader and government relations professional from Sacramento - this is a fascinating and balanced reflection on the US Presidential visit to Colombia. 

There's time for some laughs, there's jazz in the background and there are some excellent insights and potential predictions for President Trump's visit. And, if all else fails, let's hit up Revellion bar and enjoy a wine tasting or some fine single malt!