Ecuador’s diplomatic relations with Colombia would deteriorate further if accusations of Colombian espionage were confirmed, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said Friday.
Correa called the accusations “extremely grave” and said if proved true, attempts to normalize relations between the two nations “would have to change”, Semana reported friday.
Ecuador broke diplomatic ties with Colombia on March 3 2008 after the Colombian army bombed a FARC guerrilla encampment on Ecuadorian soil without previously notifying Ecuador’s authorities.
Colombian and Ecuadorean authorities met Tuesday in the latest in a series of attempts to repair the two countries’ strained relationship.
Correas’s comments follows claims by Venezuela that Colombia’s intelligence agency DAS is committing espionage and claims to have evidence to prove so.
Venezuela’s Interior Minister, Tarek El Aissami Thursday showed official documents belonging to Colombia’s intelligence agency DAS as part of his government’s evidence that Colombia is spying.
Colombian Foreign Minister Jaime Bermudez said Thursday that he didn’t believe that the espionage allegations would further deteriorate relations with Ecuador, El Espectador reported.
Bermudez said he will meet with Ecuador’s Foreign Minister Fander Falconi next Tuesday.