Ecuador and Colombia start dialogue after suspected military incursion

Ecuador’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility stated that it is engaged in “cordial conversations” with Colombian authorities following Colombia’s claim about a supposed incursion into its territory by Ecuadorian military personnel.

The Ecuadorian ministry did not confirm or deny the incident but stressed that dialogue is being maintained concerning any possible issues surrounding the operation.

Colombia had reported the presence of Ecuador’s Armed Forces on its territory, specifically in the indigenous Yarinal de San Marcelino reservation, located in the department of Putumayo.

It was said that the military personnel were conducting an operation against drug trafficking.

This resulted in the activation of diplomatic and military channels between both nations, leading to a resolution that saw the Ecuadorian military retreat to the southern bank of the San Miguel river, with detainees from the operation being released.

Based on information from Ecuadorian authorities, around 20 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride were allegedly seized during the operation.

The Ecuadorian government confirmed the existence of the anti-drug operation executed by its Army in the border region of ‘La Hormiga,’ which borders Colombia’s Putumayo department.

Yet, they didn’t clarify whether their military forces crossed the border between the two countries.

The Ecuadorian Ministry highlighted that this operation was part of the planned activities to combat drug trafficking along its northern border.

Just this week, Ecuador and Colombia signed an agreement to jointly combat issues such as drug trafficking, illegal armed groups, smuggling, money laundering, irregular migration, and illegal mining along their shared border.

Historically, the two countries experienced a significant diplomatic crisis in 2008, which lasted for more than two years, following a similar military incursion by Colombian forces into Ecuadorian territory.