The president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboaquestioned his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, for the lack of commitment in the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking in the common border area between both nations.
In an exclusive interview with Semana Magazine, Noboa pointed out that the inaction of the Colombian government forces his administration to double military spending to contain the advance of irregular groups and smuggling.
“Who is dancing merengue with the mafia is Gustavo Petro”said Noboa, who also stated that the Colombian administration delivered official documents to wanted criminals and allowed the guerrillas to control strategic territories in the departments of Putumayo and Nariño, directly affecting the security of Ecuadorian ports.
Petro, the worst business partner
In economic matters, Noboa described Colombia as his country’s worst trading partner due to a deficit of 1.2 billion dollars. He criticized Petro’s energy policy by recalling that Bogotá sold electricity at high prices during the recent crisis, despite the historical support that Ecuador provided in similar situations. The president described this economic treatment as unfair and assured that one does not insult one’s best clients if one seeks to maintain a productive relationship.
Regarding the situation of former vice president Jorge Glas, the Ecuadorian head of state described Petro’s opinions as serious. Noboa clarified that Glas remains in prison for corruption crimes prosecuted by previous administrations and not for political persecution.
““He is not a political prisoner, he is a political prisoner,” declared the president, who also called his ambassador for consultations after the Colombian president’s statements about this specific judicial case.
Noboa expressed his distrust of the “total peace” policy implemented in Colombiaarguing that narcoterrorism uses ideological rhetoric to seek impunity. Although he stated that he had a cordial personal relationship with Petro, he considered that the current discussions are far from the pragmatism necessary to resolve employment and security problems. Noboa announced that he will respect the decision of the Colombian people in the next elections and hoped to work with a leadership that openly rejects crime.
