Ecuador continues efforts to liberate FARC hostages.

Caracas, Venezuela, 20 May 2008. Despite Colombian condemnation of Quito mediation role, Ecuadorian government has kept an approaching policy towards the Armed Military Forces of Colombia (FARC). On Monday 19 May 2008, Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Maria Isabel Salvador explained that contacts with FARC were for the sole humanitarian purpose of securing the liberation of hostages. Her government is rather hopeful over future hostage releases, Salvador added.

On May 14 2008, Bogotá considered the Ecuadorian humanitarian role as unacceptable.  However, there is little effect of such declaration. Quito broke diplomatic relations with Bogotá after the illegal incursion of Colombian military forces and police into Ecuadorian territory to attack a FARC camp on 1 March 2008. Colombia justified such breach of International Law in the name of its fight against terrorism. As a result, Number 2 FARC leader Raul Reyes got killed. However, Bogotá is now accused of killing 25 wounded people including FARC members, an Ecuadorian and a Mexican student. Furthermore, it continues to make illegal incursions on Ecuadorian territory. On Monday, Bogotá was accused of having its troops entered Ecuadorian frontier once more. In reaction, the Ecuadorian government has insisted in coordinating military operations -through an agreed charter- to avoid any escalation of the crisis or further violence. The accusations against Colombia for the 1 March incursion are currently under the examination of the OAS. 

Sources: Unionradio, El Comercio, El Telegrafo,