Antonio Vega Macotela traveled to Potosí in Bolivia, the old South American mining district, intent on getting a boleo from one of the miners who work in the silver mines of Cerro Rico. A boleo is a ball a person makes in his mouth by chewing coca leaves to extract its juices, which allows them to work for a long time without food or rest, an action called acullicar. I was interested in getting a boleo that would be the product of a work shift of eight hours or more. It took me several days to convince a miner to help me, a negotiation that included following him several times into the mine. In the end, the exchange was quick: the miner gave me the ball of coca leaves I wanted so much, and without uttering a word or making any gesture, he returned to work.
Although I sought the assistance of several government agencies, it took me months to be able to take the boleo outside of Bolivia. While the Bolivian government has vetoed the exportation of even a single coca leaf from the country in protest against the international prohibition of its cultivation, other governments denied their assistance, aligning themselves with the US view that it was a forbidden drug. Smuggling was the only way to fly the boleo to Mexico, but after several attempts, it was clear that it would be impossible to import it into Europe. I thought then about duplicating the ball.
Although I sought the assistance of several government agencies, it took me months to be able to take the boleo outside of Bolivia. While the Bolivian government has vetoed the exportation of even a single coca leaf from the country in protest against the international prohibition of its cultivation, other governments denied their assistance, aligning themselves with the US view that it was a forbidden drug. Smuggling was the only way to fly the boleo to Mexico, but after several attempts, it was clear that it would be impossible to import it into Europe. I thought then about duplicating the ball.