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Panama: Colombian
Drug-Trafficking Route
to US
Nicaragua Will
Boost Milk, Basic Food Production,
Ortega Says
Nicaragua Says
Colombia Is A Threat To Region
Ecuador Steps up Border,
Security
Brazil Seeks To Ease
Ecuador-Colombia-Venezuela
Tension |
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Ecuador Steps up Border,
Security
Ecuador stepped up its
border with Colombia and
called Monday for a
meeting with the
National Security
Council, after the
aggression occurred in
the country"s northern
zone by military forces
from the neighboring
state.
In his Sunday night
speech, President Rafael
Correa condemned the
foray and bombing of
that territory by the
Colombian military
troops, under the
pretext of eliminating a
guerrilla group.
The statesman said that
the early Saturday
invasion has been the
most dangerous and
deliberate action by the
Uribe government in
Ecuador.
Faced with events like
those, Correa announced
his country won"t allow
that deliberate action
remains unpunished and
wondered if "Colombia
would accept a similar
attack in its territory
by us to capture
irregular Ecuadorian
groups." The president
explained that nearly 20
guerrilla fighters died
in the air and land
attack occurred in a
1.9-miles zone of the
common bordering line.
Correa complained about
versions by the Foreign
Affairs Ministry, the
Colombian Defense
Ministry and President
Alvaro Uribe, stating
that all proves they
lied Ecuador.
As a result of that, the
Ecuadorian top leader
adopted the decision to
expel the neighboring
nation"s ambassador
Carlos Holguin, and
withdraw his country"s
diplomatic head in
Bogota Francisco Suescum.
The head of State noted
that investigations and
testimonies by one of
the three wounded people
certify that Colombia
planes entered some 6.2
miles in the national
air space and bombed an
area of the Ecuadorian
forest.
About this issue,
Defense Minister
Wellington Sandoval
confirmed an increase of
soldiers in the northern
border zone, but without
specifying the number.
According to Sandoval,
the early Saturday
attack was prepared in
advance in a difficult
access zone, without the
permanent presence of
Ecuadorian soldiers,
which the neighboring
head of State knew to
carry out his aim. |
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