The President pointed out that all contact with guerrillas was due to humanitarian concerns."We have been betrayed, we know it is not the people's betrayal, just that of one man and the government". These were the words that president Correa used in a speech yesterday in which he accused the Colombian regime of having deliberately spoiled the liberation of 12 hostages held by the FARC, among them ex-presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt.
The President adressed the nation via radio and television around nine p.m and declared that, were it not for the Colombian military strike on the encampment where the number two man in the FARC hierarchy was resting, negotiations with the rebels leading to freedom (in Ecuador), for Betancourt, 2 Americans, one Ecuadorian and eight Colombians in uniform, would have come to a successful conclusion.
"It was all spoiled by warlike and authoritative individuals" said Correa while pointing out that contact between the Ecuadorian government and the guerrillas has ocurred solely for humanitarian reasons, as has ocurred with countries such as France.
Would somebody accuse president Sarkozy of supporting the FARC? asked the head of state who condemned the Colombian authorities' accussations in the sense that Ecuador and its government were protecting this irregular group and maintain agreements oriented towards acknowledgement as legitimate freedom fighters.
"What audacity... how cynical! they know it is imposible to control such camps" Correa pointed and, remembered that in 2008 the Ecuadorian armed forces dismantled 47 camps that the FARC had installed on ecuadorian soil.
This, "while in Colombia itself the FARC controls vast extensions of land " remarked Correa for whom the Colombian government's intention in killing Raúl Reyes on Ecuadorian soil was to involve not just Ecuador but the entire region in its internal conflict.
According to him the Latinamerican community is conscious of this fact and that is the reason why they have expressed support for Ecuador in the face of unjustified aggression.
A similar statement was given during the afternoon when he (Correa) convened with his cabinet-at-large in order to analyze the crisis-situation with Colombia.
"My government has had no official contact with the FARC", said Correa in a meeting later with media directors while assuring and repeating that even though Ecuador does not consider them as terrorists, it does not treat them as legitimate freedom fighters since they do not adhere to The Geneva Convention Humanitarian Accords.
"My government's policy towards the FARC or any other other irregular, armed groups is that of zero tolerance, within our territory", he insisted as he revealed that 47 illegal camps were destroyed on Ecuadorian soil and a dozen persons were detained. Between 2002 and 2006, 13 camps were destroyed.
He also spoke with Linda Jewell , United States ambassador in Quito who assured him that FOL airplanes in Manta were not involved in last Saturday's military operation.
However, the Colombian government refused to accept the notion that Ecuador was negotiating hostage liberation but were rather involved in a sort of "traffic of those kidnapped".
Spanish version
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