AlladinSane
Well-Known Member
Things are getting ugly in SA. Chavez effect?
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Ecuador vows to intercept Colombian planes entering its airspace for fumigation
Ecuadorian Defense Minister Marcelo Delgado said Friday that army airplanes will fly over its border to prevent Colombian airplanes from entering Ecuadorian airspace during their anti-drug fumigation activities.
Delgado said if Colombian airplanes violate Ecuadorian airspace they would be intercepted and forced to land in Ecuadorian territory and that "appropriate" diplomatic measures will then be taken.
Relations between the two countries have been tense since Colombia renewed its aerial fumigation program on the border with Ecuador on Monday.
Quito deemed Colombian fumigation activities in the border area "unfriendly and hostile" and said it was possible Ecuador's ambassador to Bogota may be recalled.
He also said Ecuador may stop admitting Colombians displaced because of violence in the country and deport illegal Colombian immigrants.
Delgado told local press that the government has activated its border radar system and that the armed forces deployed in the area are in a state of alert.
Ecuadorian Foreign Affairs Ministry has called Colombian ambassador Carlos Holguin to register a "strong protest," demanding a halt to the fumigations.
Colombia suspended its fumigation program after its reached a deal with Ecuador in December 2005. Ecuador complained the fumigation harmed the environment and the health of local residents.
However, citing mushrooming illegal drug crops in the area, the Colombian government renewed the program on Monday. It said the fungicide glyphosate used was not toxic.
According to Colombia, there are more than 10,000 hectares of land planted with coca leaves in the area, which can translate into nearly 70 tons of drugs with a black market value of 1.9 billion U.S. dollars.
Colombia is the world's top cocaine producer and exporter with an annual output of over 500 tons, most of which is smuggled into the United States and Europe.
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