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Colombia will postpone the restoration of diplomatic relations with Ecuador because of comments by Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa that Colombia considers aggressive, El Universal reported June 24, citing Colombian Foreign Minister Fernando Araujo. Immediately after Colombia’s announcement, Ecuador announced that it is considering applying trade restrictions to Colombia. Correa made generally hostile comments to an Argentine newspaper regarding Colombia, blaming Bogota for the current strained relations between the two countries.
The comments were perfectly timed to offend Colombia, coming immediately before the two countries were to reinstate ties broken March 3 following a Colombian cross-border raid into Ecuador. Correa’s decision to provoke Colombia and disrupt progress towards normal relations between the two neighbors represents a bid to boost Correa’s sagging political capital.
Correa is facing pressure on three fronts: the rewriting of Ecuador’s Constitution, alleged links to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and economic instability in Ecuador.
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