Lenín Moreno: We had peace because the drug was allowed to pass

Ecuadornews:

President Lenin Moreno shared with the ambassadors who are accredited in the country his concern about violence on the northern border. Yesterday, during a meeting, Moreno said that the situation in Esmeraldas is “extremely delicate” and pointed out that the armed conflict that Colombia has experienced, “with deaths, extortion, kidnappings, vandalism, narco-terrorism … was getting closer towards Ecuador.” 

The Head of State reiterated that in the previous Government there was excessive permissiveness. “We lived a peace, but we lived a peace in which the drug was allowed to travel through our territory,” he said. In that meeting, the President asked for the support of other countries with experience in these situations and, above all, that they can support the release of journalist Javier Ortega, photographer Paúl Rivas and driver Efraín Segarra, kidnapped on March 26, when they were reporting on the situation on the border.

“We are considering the scenarios for them to return safe and sound, and also, these beings are condoled by their relatives, friends, etc., who want them to be whole,” he said.

On Tuesday, Interior Minister César Navas spoke of four scenarios that are analyzed by both authorities and family members. Last night, Galo Ortega, Ricardo Rivas and Cristian Segarra, relatives of the journalistic team, embarked to Lima to be at the 8th Summit of the Americas, from tomorrow until Saturday. Their intention is to meet with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, and ask for co-responsibility for the release of their loved ones.

In that Summit it is also foreseen that Moreno and Santos meet to discuss the issue. For family members it is important to participate in this presidential meeting, because they want to express their concerns directly.

In their suitcases, the relatives wore white T-shirts with the photos of the three communicators. They also carried ‘stickers’ with the phrase # NosFaltan3 and the banners asking for the release of the team. Cristian Segarra, son of the driver, said they will remain in Lima until Friday night. Among the activities that they plan is to talk with the Colombian media to ask them for an ethical handling of information related to kidnapping.

Another action will be a meeting with the Ambassador of Ecuador in Colombia. Hours before his trip to Peru, the relatives met with journalists from different media in Guayaquil. There, Ricardo Rivas and Galo Ortega said that this is not just about three kidnapped journalists, but three Ecuadorians, three human beings. “We do not want this to happen to anyone and to spread in Ecuador.”

During the 17 days that the collaborators take captives, the relatives have carried out marches, seedlings, Masses, they have even requested the intervention of the Catholic Church and the Red Cross.

On Wednesday, April 11, three leaders of the Ecuadorian Episcopal Conference met with President Moreno and conveyed the anguish that families experience. After the appointment, which was reserved, Eugenio Arellano, president of the Conference, explained that the President informed them about the situation of the northern border and shared with them his concern to rescue the collaborators “alive and well”.

According to the religious leader, the government “is willing to make any sacrifice” to release them and said that he has requested the help of the Church. “Both the Government and us are willing; to achieve the freedom of your colleagues, “said Arellano. He added: “You, as communicators, keep alive the hope of the people, do not give space to defeatism or pessimism. We will win, because peace is stronger. ” Monseñor Luis Cabrera, archbishop of Guayaquil and vice president of the Permanent Council of the Conference, and Fausto Trávez, archbishop of Quito and member of the Permanent Council of the Conference, attended the meeting.

In context 

Violence on the northern border increased from January. Since then there have been 10 attacks that left wounded, kidnapped and four soldiers dead. The Government maintains the state of emergency in San Lorenzo and Eloy Alfaro. (I)

Source: http://www.elcomercio.com/actualidad/leninmoreno-ecuador-fronteranorte-narcotrafico-seguridad.html