In light of questions about Ecuador’s recent nationalizations, new
draft constitution and relationship with Colombian rebels, Minister of
Internal and External Security Gustavo Larrea is trying to combat what
he sees as the international “stigmatization” of the government of
President Rafael Correa. He gave an overview of security, border, drug,
and foreign policy developments in Ecuador at an event sponsored by the
Inter-American Dialogue and the Center for Strategic and International
Studies on July 24, 2008.
Larrea emphasized Ecuador’s unique success in deterring coca
cultivation, saying “we do not have a single hectare of illegal drug
production on our soil,” as a result of the country’s “zero tolerance”
policy and their targeting of organized crime kingpins rather than
so-called “drug mules.” A lynchpin of the anti-narcotics policy is the
new Plan Ecuador, a security and development project offering credit to
Ecuadoran farmers who produce legitimate crops, such as chocolate,
along the border with Colombia. As Larrea put it, “Coca no, cocoa yes.”
Addressing the recent seizure of television companies and hundreds of other subsidiaries of a failed Ecuadoran bank that owed the government millions of dollars, Larrea said the only motive was to return lost money investors. The government wants to cancel outstanding debts, not to control or impede the business of these firms, he said.
The minister said that diplomatic relations with Colombia were
“suspended indefinitely” after that country reneged on an accord to
restore ties. However, he also described the positive relations with
Colombia prior to the March 1, 2008 airstrike on a FARC rebel camp in
Ecuadoran territory and pointed out that bilateral trade was still
strong. Larrea said the diminished level of conflict makes a reopening
of relations possible. He denied any sympathy for the FARC rebel group,
explaining that he met with the group just once, to discuss a possible
hostage release.
Larrea emphasized that there were “discrepancies” between the United
States and Ecuador but not conflict. Relations with the US embassy in
Quito, counternarcotics successes and Andean trade preferences were
cited as particularly encouraging points of convergence. Responding to
a question about Ecuador’s decision to stop allowing the United States
to operate anti-drug flights out of the Manta air force base, Larrea
said the lease was simply expiring and the government had plans to use
the runways for commercial flights.
Regarding Ecuador’s new draft constitution approved the same day as the
event, Larrea insisted that it continues the push toward political
stability, the best way to strengthen security and economic prosperity.
Ecuador is distinct from its neighbors in the region, he said, and
undergoing a unique process of socioeconomic change.
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In light of questions about Ecuador’s recent nationalizations, new
draft constitution and relationship with Colombian rebels, Minister of
Internal and External Security Gustavo Larrea is trying to combat what
he sees as the international “stigmatization” of the government of
President Rafael Correa. He gave an overview of security, border, drug,
and foreign policy developments in Ecuador at an event sponsored by the
Inter-American Dialogue and the Center for Strategic and International
Studies on July 24, 2008.