Opening Statement of Congressman Dan Burton,

Ranking Member, Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere

Title: “Crisis in the Andes: The Border Dispute between Colombia and Ecuador, and Implications for the Region”

April 7, 2008

I would like to personally thank Secretary General Insulza and the private sector panelists for being here today as we address the important role played by the diverse nations in the Andean Region. I look forward to the discussion ahead of us.

First of all, we are here today to discuss the border dispute between Colombia and Ecuador that was aggravated by Venezuelan involvement. I am glad to see that the international conflict was settled peacefully and that the OAS offered an important sanctuary for carrying through with the necessary diplomatic assurances. I have personally asked that the Department of State provide Members of Congress with a secure briefing on the contents of the hard drive that was recovered during the raid on the FARC establishment on March 1^st. We will be able to discuss the implications of the incursion in much further detail when we have all of the facts before us. As we move forward I would like to note something that a witness before this Subcommittee pointed out at a previous hearing, state sovereignty must not come at such a price that we are forced to give up the protection of our country. I believe that this is an important nuance to remember in addition to noting that the FARC has been a long time enemy of all democratically elected governments.

Just briefly, I would like to outline my thoughts on the region and the implications of recent events. Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela each offer a unique approach to their region as well as in relation to the United States. Among them is the fact that of the fifteen largest suppliers of petroleum to the U.S., five are from Latin America and three are from Andean countries, namely Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia. Natural resources shape many issues, from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s threats to cut oil supply into the U.S. to Bolivia’s decision not to sell natural gas to Chile, energy is frequently as much a political tool as it is an economic issue.

In addition to Energy, Trade and Drugs are prominent issues in the US/Andean relationships. The U.S. Congress has continuously approved Trade Preferences to our allies in Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru in order to boost economic opportunities and help fight the war on drugs in South America. The United States has worked with Ecuador to revolutionize the Manta Air Base which has utilized U.S. technology in the air and water to take illicit drugs off the streets. In 2006 alone, aircrews flew more than 1,200 missions from Manta and helped seize more than 258 tons of illegal drugs with an estimated street value of $5.2 billion. Ecuador benefited two-fold in the arrangement through the US investment of more than $70 million to upgrade the airport providing Ecuador with a long runway on a civilian run airfield to transport their tuna and flowers to a large market of investors in the United States. The local economy benefited from more than $6.5 million annually and job opportunities for Ecuadorean citizens. Chile has thrived under a strong democracy and through the US-Chile bilateral trade agreement. Peru is beginning to benefit through a similar arrangement and hopefully soon Colombia will be added to that list.

Ecuador’s plan to not renew the contract for the Manta Airbase and Bolivian President Evo Morales’ rhetoric against the U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia has been troubling, as have many actions and rhetoric coming from Venezuela. Unfortunately, Ecuador’s President has recently followed suit by stepping up accusations against the US as well. The complex political relationships in addition to issues of energy, trade and drug trafficking are factors that we must keep in mind when we look at implications for the region.

With that I would like to once again thank our distinguished panelists for being here today and I look forward to hearing your remarks on the crisis that was averted in the region and how we can best move forward.