The Colombian government presented its defense to a lawsuit filed by Ecuador in 2008, which claims that Colombia’s aerial crop spraying undermines its sovereignty, before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague on Wednesday.
Colombia’s defense was managed by Colombia’s ambassador to the Hague, Francisco Jose Lloreda Mera, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“With solid legal, scientific, and factual arguments, the case of Colombia rejects the accusations from Ecuador that Colombia has damaged Ecuadorean territory. The aerial fumigations by Colombia have been carried out in compliance with international obligations related to the global fight against illicit drugs and with due diligence to avoid damage,” Lloreda said.
The submission of Colombia’s report marks the second round of written arguments between Colombia and Ecuador in front of the ICJ in regards to the lawsuit, which was originally filed on March 31, 2008.
In the lawsuit, Ecuador claims that Colombia’s aerial fumigation of crops, which aims to decrease the amount of coca grown in the region, violated Ecuador’s sovereignty.
The lawsuit seeks to put an end to Colombia’s drug fumigation efforts in the border region, and to receive compensation from Colombia for more than seven years of spraying that Ecuador claims has damaged legitimate crops and the health of farmers in the area.