Ecuador demands “respect” from Colombia before fractured diplomatic relations can be repaired, Security Minister Miguel Carvajal said Tuesday.
The country views Colombia’s denouncement of Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa for his alleged links
to the FARC as “political” not judicial.
“This is a country that deserves and demands respect,” said Carvajal. He added that he hoped Ecuador’s relations with Colombia “don’t deteriorate more”.
Colombian investigators allegedly found emails from Correa to slain
FARC leader “Raul Reyes” on a computer seized after the Colombian
military bombed a FARC camp just over the Ecuadorean border on 1 March,
2008.
The Minister said accusations of FARC ties against Correa were “political reactions” to Ecuador’s order to arrest former Colombian Defense Minister Juan
Manuel Santos.
Ecuador says Santos is responsible for the bombing of the FARC camp,
in which 25, including ‘Raul Reyes’ and Ecuadorean citizen
Franklin Aisalla died.
The incident led to the breakdown in diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Interpol recently turned down a petition from Ecuador to put Santos on the
international police’s list of wanted persons.
Colombian President Alvaro Uribe reacted strongly to allegations against Santos, calling the judge who ordered the arrest a “terrorist ally entrenched in Ecuadorean justice.”
