MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Ecuador leader will be in Bogotá when Colombian president-elect takes office

Rafael Correa accepted the invitation from Colombia’s Juan Manuel Santos

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa announced Wednesday he would be attending Colombian president-elect Juan Manuel Santos taking-office ceremony next August 7, according to a report from the government news agency ‘Andes’.

Correa confirmed his presence in Bogotá after the incoming Minister of Foreign Affairs Maria Angela Holguín visited Ecuador last Monday and left the invitation with a personal letter from the future Colombian president.

“Holguín came in representation of President Santos with the invitation and a letter. She said not to say, that President Santos sent us a few lines, very brief, but then very briefly with pleasure we will be attending the ceremony in Bogotá” said Correa to ‘Andes’.
Ms Holguín while in Quito met with her Ecuadorean counterpart Ricardo Patiño.

Holguín and Patiño announced the start of a dialogue with the purpose of restoring full diplomatic relations, currently at chargé d’affairs level since last November, following an interruption of 21 months.

Ecuador cut diplomatic relations with Bogotá following an attack by Colombian forces against a FARC clandestine base next to the Ecuadorean border March first 2008, which left at least 25 guerrillas and supporters dead, including the Colombian rebel group number 2 leader, Raúl Reyes, who later that year was to poised to become the undisputed head of the Colombian Revolutionary Armed Forces.

On Wednesday also President Correa’s administration denied it had instructed former president of the OAS Standing Council, Ecuadorean ambassador Francisco Proaño not to convene a debate requested by Colombia relative to the alleged presence of FARC and ELN guerrillas in Venezuelan territory havens.

“At no moment ambassador Francisco Proaño was instructed, specifically and categorically, orally and in a note, not to give way to the mentioned (Colombian) request as expressed by the ambassador in his resignation letter”, said the Ecuadorean Foreign Affairs ministry in a release to the press denying the version from the former ambassador.

However the note says the ambassador was asked “to delay the request to give an opportunity to dialogue” between OAS members relative to the Colombian request.

The Ecuadorean ministry said ambassador Proaño presented his irrevocable resignation on Tuesday when on Tuesday he was instructed to officially ask for a “reconsideration of the (Colombian) request and postponement”.

Following the resignation of the diplomat, Quito named Maria Isabel Salvador, a member of parliament, as its new representative before the OAS.
Ms Salvador has already held the post of chancellor under president Correa.