CORREA AND VP RATCHET UP RHETORIC ON COLOMBIAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000380

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/14/2017
TAGS: PREL MARR MASS MOPS SNAR EC CO
SUBJECT: CORREA AND VP RATCHET UP RHETORIC ON COLOMBIAN
FUMIGATION, FM MODERATES THE MESSAGE


Classified By: PolOff James Cohen for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) Summary: During a visit to the border region on
February 14, President Rafael Correa announced he had ordered
the Ecuadorian Air Force to intercept planes violating
Ecuadorian air space on its northern border with Colombia.
Correa's announcement does not represent a change in GOE
policy, but is disturbing for its bellicosity and timing,
coming after the GOC has confirmed an end to aerial coca
fumigation in the border region. Correa's attitude was
echoed by Vice President Lenin Moreno's comments on the need
for Colombia to distance itself from American coca spraying
programs during his recent visit to Caracas. By upping the
rhetorical ante for no apparent reason, Ecuador's leaders
have complicated efforts by Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda
Espinosa to improve relations with Bogota. End Summary.

Correa's Blast
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2. (SBU) During a visit to the border region on February 14,
President Correa declared he had ordered the Ecuadorian Air
Force to intercept any aircraft violating Ecuadorian air
space. In a statement issued by the Presidential Palace,
Correa declared "we will not permit another violation of
Ecuadorian air space by planes that are not even Colombian,
but American." The statement also declared the government's
intention to create a "Plan Ecuador," to counterbalance Plan
Colombia, which Correa cites as being responsible for the
violence that is plaguing the Ecuador-Colombia frontier.
During his border visit, Correa offered to assist authorities
and indigenous populations of the Sucumbios region, whom he
claims are suffering at the hands of this "Colombian
aggression."

VP Chimes In from Caracas
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3. (SBU) Vice President Lenin Moreno chimed in the same day
from Caracas, where he was conducting an official visit
accompanied by ministers responsible for social services and
was reportedly received by President Chavez. Moreno
reportedly expressed astonishment that Colombia would
continue to treat "a brother nation so unfairly while
following the orders of the Empire (read USG)." Moreno also
said the matter of adverse health effects from GOC fumigation
near the border with Ecuador would be brought before the
Hague tribunal, to ensure that Ecuadorian victims will be
justly compensated. Moreno's press advisor claimed to us
when we called to clarify and express concern that Moreno's
off-the-cuff comments had been "inflated" by the press and
that he recognized that in the confused press scrum he had
chosen his words poorly. Moreno also reportedly expressed
admiration for many of Venezuela's medical and educational
initiatives and said he was "exploring the possibility" of
reproducing them in Ecuador.

Foreign Minister More Diplomatic
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4. (SBU) Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Espinosa used more
diplomatic language on the fumigation issue, expressing GOE
desire to reach a "definitive and comprehensive" agreement
with Colombia that would create a permanent framework for
handling the fumigation issue. Espinosa noted that each time
a new fumigation plan is formulated, new agreements need to
be hashed out, causing some frustration on all sides.
Espinosa highlighted the work of the Joint
Colombian-Ecuadorian commission that is currently working out
a comprehensive agreement and reiterated the commissions main
objectives: to create a system of verification of damage
along the border and in Ecuador's northern provinces, take
testimony from affected persons and to prepare terms of
reference for a United Nations study of the health effects of
spraying. Espinosa said the GOE valued good relations with
Ecuador's neighbors, despite the contentious issues that
currently exist.

Comment
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5. (C) The president and vice president's unfortunate
statements serve only to inflame public opinion on both sides
of the border, and could be intended to placate frustrated

border residents and anti-American elements in Ecuador. We
believe Correa's bluster is mostly nationalist bluff,
intended mainly for internal consumption, but note that
Correa likes to play the heavy and let his ministers clean up
the mess. His order does not actually represent a change in
GOE policy--the Palacio government had also declared a policy
of interception, and Correa reaffirmed rather than changed it
(and did not escalate it by ordering that errant aircraft be
shot down). Regardless, we will use upcoming opportunities
to make USG displeasure clear to the GOE, and encourage a
more private diplomacy between the two neighbors.

JEWELL