Medellin, Colombia – Colombian and Ecuadorian security forces have launched a joint operation to target criminal groups along their 600km border, Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez announced yesterday.
As part of “Operación Espejo,” or “Operation Mirror,” the two countries have identified five target areas where Colombian and Ecuadorian troops could permanently station themselves and use drones, anti-drone systems, helicopters, gunships and patrol boats.
The announcement came on the same day that Ecuador increased tariffs on Colombia to 50%, which it described as a “security fee” for the neighboring country’s failure to monitor its borders.
In response, Colombia’s Minister of Commerce drafted a reciprocal 50% import tax that, once approved, would be in effect until the Ecuadorian tariffs were eliminated.
After the joint operation was announced, Sánchez reaffirmed that “the enemy is not a state, but an armed group.”
The defense minister also celebrated the destruction of 45 drug labs in a previous three-day operation in the Pacific department of Nariño, Colombia. There are already 20,000 security personnel deployed in Nariño and Putumayo on the Colombian border. The United States will also provide intelligence assistance to help identify areas of illicit activity.
“The drug problem is not only a health problem, but while consumption is increasing in European countries and the United States (…) here we are struggling with production,” Sánchez said. The defense minister stressed that the joint operation would respect the possibility of dialogue with some groups, but bombing of border areas was not ruled out.
“We will go all out against crime (…) We will not tolerate the crimes, terrorism, extortion, kidnappings and forced migrations committed by these criminals,” he added.
The latest tariffs represent the latest escalation in a trade dispute between the neighbors that began in January. Novoa, a tough-on-crime Trump ally, claimed Colombia was failing to “implement concrete and effective measures in the area of border security.”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro imposed a retaliatory 30% tariff in January, defending his criminal record and praising the two countries’ historically close security ties.
The trade dispute is causing anxiety for businesses and workers in both countries, and former ministers are calling for a resumption of talks between the two countries.
Featured image: Colombian military checkpoint
Image credit: @Mindefensa via X
