ECUADOR

ECUADOR

1987 – Politics and petroleum in Ecuador by John D Martz.

12 October 2000 – Helicopter hijacking in Sucumbios province Ecuador. A group of armed kidnappers, led by former members of Colombian terror group, the Popular Liberation Army EPL. They took hostage ten employers of Spanish energy consortium REPSOL. Those kidnapped included one New Zealander, five US citizens, one Argentine, one Chilean and two French pilots, who escaped four days later. On 30 January 2001 the kidnappers murdered American hostage Ronald Sander. The remaining hostages were released on 23 February following the payment of $13 million in ransom by the oil companies.

2003 – Indians, oil and politics. A recent history of Ecuador. A Gerlach. SR books.

22 February 2007 – Ecuador plans to rejoin the OPEC countries, La Hora reported, citing Ecuador’s energy minister. Ecuador will seek OPEC’s endorsement for its oil plans. Including financial issues, and a report for Algerian council on matters related to natural gas. Ecuador is the fifth largest producer of oil in South America. Exporting 69% of its oil production. (Stratfor Intel summary).

April 2011 – Ecuador expels US ambassador, after Wikileaks published diplomatic cables, alleging widespread corruption in Ecuador’s police force. (Timelines BBC Internet).

9 February 2012 – Ecuador’s Foreign Minister said, police in Italy found nearly 90 pounds (40 kilos) of cocaine in January. It was in diplomatic mail sent to Italy. Two suspects were arrested. Crates inspected by police dogs before leaving Ecuador, travelled to Italy through a third country. (AP 2/9/12. Timelines Internet).

16 November 2012 – Body on yacht. Pacific’s largest cocaine haul was found on a yacht in Vava’u Tonga. the Pacific. It went from Ecuador and was bound for Australia, according to the US DEA in August. Organised crime syndicates were involved. (Matangi Tonga online).

20 November 2012 – Chevron seeks probe over Ecuador case. By Ed Crooks in New York. Oil and gas. Financial Times.