Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said Saturday he is responsible for the 2008 incursion into Ecuador to kill FARC commander “Raul Reyes” after an Ecuador court opened a murder trial against six top Colombian military officials involved in the raid that killed 25.
According to Santos, the (former) military heads deserve the admiration of all and reiterated that he was Defense Minister at the time and thus politically responsible for the cross-border raid.
“What I can say is that it was me who authorized this operation together with [then] President Uribe. So, if anyone is responsible it is me and nobody else,” the President said.
Santos responded to the announcement of the Primary Court of the Sucumbios province in the north of Ecuador that it will start the trial against six former and current top Colombian military commanders.
The court’s announcement was earlier rejected by Colombia’s foreign minister and vice president.
According to the court, the Colombians should stand trial for murder as the killing of the FARC leader and 24 others in the guerrilla camp was not authorized by Ecuadorean authorities.
