Colombia’s Foreign Ministry rejects Ecuador’s issuing of an arrest warrant for presidential candidate Juan Manuel Santos, for his role in the 2008 raid on a FARC camp in Ecuadorean territory.
Colombia “does not recognize the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Ecuadorean justice to investigate and try former and present Colombian officials,” reads a statement released by the Colombian foreign ministry.
The press release states Colombia’s intention to do everything in its power to defend its officials, stating that their “defense and protection” is the responsibility of the state.
Santos commented that Ecuador’s attempt to try to prosecute those involved in the bombing, is a state matter, not a personal one, and that the executive should assume responsibility for it.
The Colombian Foreign Ministry’s statement also commented that Ecuador’s actions “do not contribute to the normalization of diplomatic relations that the two countries are working on.”
This is the second time that Ecuador has filed charges against Santos, along with the commander of the Colombian armed forces Freddy Padilla, for the officials’ role in the incident.
An Ecuadorean judge in charge of the case ruled in February that there wasn’t enough evidence to pursue the case.
However, in early March Judge Francisco Revelo decided to re-file the charges against the former defense minister.
The 2008 bombing led Ecuador to sever diplomatic ties with Colombia, claiming the Colombian army had undermined it neighbor’s sovereignty by pursuing FARC guerrillas onto Ecuadorean territory.
