Colombian rebels deny giving money to 2006 election campaign of Ecuador’s President Correa

September 30th, 2009 Ecuador's Indian group protests water, mining lawsQUITO, Ecuador — Hundreds of Indians have blocked Ecuador's Pan American highway in several provinces with rocks, tree trunks and burning tires to protest new water, mining and oil laws. Protesters say the laws threaten their lands and will privatize water resources, a charge leftist President Rafael Correa denies.

September 14th, 2009 Ecuador, Colombia talk again 1½ yrs after raidQUITO, Ecuador — Ecuador and Colombia will hold direct talks to mend diplomatic relations that ruptured a year-and-a-half ago after a cross-border military raid that killed Colombian rebels inside Ecuador, officials said Monday. Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Fander Falconi said he will meet with his Colombian counterpart, Jaime Bermudez, early next week on the sidelines of a U.N.

August 24th, 2009 HAVANA - Cuban leader Fidel Castro has met Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, the official Juventud Rebelde newspaper reported in an article that featured a photograph of both men standing and wearing white sport shirts. Castro and Correa had "a thorough exchange of impressions ...

August 23rd, 2009 Healthy looking Fidel Castro meets Ecuador leaderHAVANA — Cuba's Communist Youth newspaper is showing a photo of a healthier-looking Fidel Castro talking with the visiting Ecuadorean president. Sunday's photo in Juventud Rebelde shows the 83-year-old Castro wearing a white shirt instead of the sports apparel he has worn in recent photos.

August 13th, 2009 FARC chief denies getting launchers from VenezuelaBOGOTA — The top guerrilla leader in Colombia denied in comments published Thursday that his organization received anti-tank weapons from Venezuela or funded the electoral ambitions of Ecuador's president. Alfonso Cano, commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, accused Colombian President Alvaro Uribe of "media terrorism for insinuating that Venezuela's government provided rocket launchers we captured a long time ago in a military battle on the border." His comments were published by Colombian newsmagazine Cambio, which said Cano responded to questions via e-mail.

July 26th, 2009 BOGOTA - At least 45 rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) were killed Saturday in an aerial bombardment in Meta province, the Caracol radio station reported. The attack came as Colombian forces were hunting down Jorge Briceno, one of the leaders of the leftist rebel organisation.

July 25th, 2009 Colombian: 16 rebels, 1 soldier killed in fightingBOGOTA — The Colombian military says at least 16 suspected guerrillas and one soldier have been killed in clashes. Defense Minister Gen.

July 23rd, 2009 Ecuador president asks rebels to confirm donationQUITO, Ecuador — President Rafael Correa made a direct plea Thursday to leaders of Colombia' main leftist rebel army to confirm whether they contributed to his 2006 election campaign. He also asked the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, to confirm the authenticity of a newly disclosed video that appears to prove the rebels made contributions.

July 18th, 2009 Correa: Video linking him to rebels 'a sham'QUITO, Ecuador — Ecuador's President Rafael Correa on Saturday dismissed as a "sham" a newly released video in which a Colombian rebel commander discusses contributing dollars to Correa's 2006 election campaign. The video, whose existence was revealed by The Associated Press on Friday, appears to dispel any doubts that the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia contributed to the Correa campaign.

July 18th, 2009 BOGOTA - Thirteen leftist rebels were killed in fighting with the security forces in central Colombia, a media report said. The fighting between Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the country's largest rebel group, and the security forces took place in the central Meta province Friday.

July 17th, 2009 AP Newsbreak: Rebel video hounds Ecuador's CorreaBOGOTA — An hour-long video police found in a computer of an alleged rebel appears to confirm that Colombia's largest rebel army gave money to the 2006 election campaign of President Rafael Correa of Ecuador. The video shows the second-ranking commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia reading the deathbed manifesto of founding leader Manuel "Sureshot" Marulanda.

July 9th, 2009 Uribe to Colombian rebels: free all hostagesBOGOTA — Colombian President Alvaro Uribe says he will allow an opposition senator to accompany the release of hostages held by FARC rebels. But his office set a stiff condition: the leftist insurgents must release all 24 police and soldiers they are known to hold.

April 30th, 2009 BOGOTA - Eight Colombian soldiers have been killed in a clash with leftist rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in the northeastern Perija mountains on the Venezuelan border. 'Unfortunately eight military officers died today in the province of La Guajira.

April 27th, 2009 Correa easily re-elected, faces stiff challengesQUITO, Ecuador — President Rafael Correa has won re-election but may have little time to savor the decisive victory. The leftist economist must now determine how to maintain his ample social spending programs in a deepening economic crisis.

April 16th, 2009 BOGOTA - Colombia's leftist guerrilla rebels Thursday announced they would soon unilaterally release a soldier who has been in their captivity since December 1997. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) said that Corporal Pablo Emilio Moncayo would be turned over to the Colombians for Peace organisation which is led by opposition Senator Piedad Cordoba.