According to Semana and the Colombian National Protection Unit, elements of the Ecuadorian Army crossed into Colombia and arrested six people. Their report reads below:
“At noon this Saturday, July 29, members of the Ecuadorian Army once again crossed the border in Putumayo, invading Colombian territory, and detained the governor of the San Marcelino Reservation, his wife and, apparently, four other members of the indigenous guard.”
Beyer Peña Gamba, the mayor of San Miguel in Putumayo told Semana: “Not only did they invade the territory, they have the governor, his wife and apparently four indigenous guards and at the moment I am here at the point trying to resolve why we are on land, let’s say on this border and how the weather is so hot, I’m going to see if I can get these people released.”
The Colombian National Protection Unit denounced the incursion:
Denuncia incursión del ejército ecuatoriano a resguardo colombiano
Beyer Peña Gamba, alcalde de San Miguel, Putumayo, pide presencia de autoridades colombianas en el resguardo Yarinal de San Marcelino en dónde efectivos militares detienen y transportan indígenas colombianos. pic.twitter.com/lagZOomXb6
— Unidad Nacional de Protección, UNP. (@UNPColombia) July 29, 2023
This month, several people were killed after armed groups clashed along the Ecuadorian-Colombian border. This incursion was reportedly in response to those events. However, the Ecuadorian military has a nasty reputation in the area of firing on civilians and pressuring village leaders.
