Paquisha War
Encyclopedia
The Paquisha War was a brief military clash that took place between January and February 1981 between Ecuador
and Peru
over the control of three watchposts. While Peru felt that the matter was already decided in the Ecuadorian-Peruvian War
of 1941, Ecuador did not agree with the Rio de Janeiro Protocol. Later in 1998 the Guarantors of the Rio Protocol ruled that the border of the undelimited zone was indeed the line of the Cordillera del Cóndor, as Peru had been claiming since the 1940s.
In 1980 the Ecuadorian Army had set up in the Comaina valley, to the east of the Condor mountain range, inside the disputed border zone, which was claimed by Peru. The clash ended with a ceasefire, with three Ecuadorian bases destroyed and the Peruvian Army in control of most of the area.
In the aftermath of the incident, both sides increased their military presence along the Cordillera del Cóndor
area and Cenepa Valley, starting an escalating spiral of tension and provocation that finally resulted in another military confrontation in 1995, the Cenepa War
.
While the name Paquisha War is widely use by the international community and Ecuador, in Spanish this incident is also known as the Falso Paquisha War in Peru and, occasionally, as the Paquisha Incident.
.
The Ecuadorian possession of these posts was denounced by Peruvian representatives at the foreign ministers' meeting of the OAS
, on February 2, 1981. During this meeting, the Peruvian Foreign Minister, Javier Arias Stella
, called the three Ecuadorian military outposts falsos ("fakes"), despite Ecuadorian sovereignty.
The Ecuadorian Foreign Minister, Alfonso Barrera Valderde, responded to this allegation stating that when Ecuador responded to the attacks on January 28, it always specified that the attacks were being made against the destacamentos (military outposts) of Paquisha, Mayaicu, and Machinaza, not against the similarly named Ecuadorian towns.
The meeting concluded with a resolution that announced a cease fire in the conflict zone, and noted that both countries had accepted a commission of representatives from the guarantor countries to safeguard the observance of the cease fire and establish conditions for peace between Peru and Ecuador.
The Fuerza Aérea del Peru (FAP)
flew many sorties with A-37B, Mirage 5P
and Su-22 to support these operations. The FAE flew 179 combat missions with A-37B
and Mirage F-1 aircraft to counter the FAP attacks. On January 28, 1981 there was a dogfight between 2 A-37Bs of the FAE and FAP.
Ecuadorians were able to capture a Paquishan outpost which was in Peruvian territory according to the treaty in the Ecuadorian-Peruvian war of 1941. The Peruvian operation was not a success even though the Peruvian outpost of Paquisha, that was captured by the Ecuadorians, was taken on February 5, 1981 by Peruvian troops. The conflict, which occurred in a then non-demarcated area of the common border between Ecuador and Peru, ceased with the Ecuadorians being expelled from the slopes and driven back to the summit of the Cordillera del Cóndor.
As a result, the Peruvian and Ecuadorian governments, with assistance of each one of the Guarantors, agreed to separate their forces. This "gentlemen's agreement
" remained in effect throughout the 1980s, with various measures taken to codify conduct of patrols encountering one another in the disputed area.
with the task of defending such possible invasion pathways.
Until then the Ecuadorian Defense Plan envisaged a logistics operations taking about eight days to install the defensive system. Levoyer proposed a new plan which placed all personnel, weapons, supplies, etc., in twenty-four hours in the front and ready to fulfill the mission of defense.
The Peruvian armed forces met with surprise the armed device in record time, so thinking that Levoyer and his men would invade the north of Peru organized the anti-tank defense lines, trenches trap, and so on.
Fortunately, events did not lead to general war, which would have become a clear loss for both countries. The widespread confrontation was avoided probably because of the direct talks between top military Commanders of the two countries, and the military Delegates of Chile, Argentina, Brazil and USA. The talks took place in the border line near the Pacific Ocean, in the towns of Huaquillas (Ecuador, Province of El Oro) and Aguas Verdes (Peru, Department of Tumbes). And the result was the Sorrosa-Du Bois Act.
The cycle of direct talks gathered those men of war face to face. While they ran, Levoyer's war essays continued both to encourage his men and to undermine the morale of their opponents who had to get used to the daily six o'clock in the morning start of the exercises with artillery and other deployment of force.
The talks included Levoyer who was called by his adversaries, the leader of the "hard line."
was signed. Despite several proposals to complete demarcation of the border, no agreement was possible at that time.
Several military bases were built up and down the Cordillera by both countries, and the region was militarized. The Peruvian bases were serviced by helicopter, while on the Ecuadorian side, gravel roads were constructed to several military border posts.
Some sources claim that the Ecuadorian resistance to the full implementation of the border demarcation during the 1970s and 1980s was almost entirely due to domestic political struggles.
According to the USIP, after this war, Ecuador's Foreign Ministry conducted a national opinion survey that reportedly confirmed the popularity of nullification of the Rio Protocol and Ecuador's right to sovereign access to the Amazon river
. Thus, in 1983, the Ecuadorian congress reaffirmed its position on the nullity of the Rio Protocol
.
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
over the control of three watchposts. While Peru felt that the matter was already decided in the Ecuadorian-Peruvian War
Ecuadorian-Peruvian war
The Ecuadorian–Peruvian War was a border war fought between July 5, 1941 and July 31, 1941, the first of three military conflicts that occurred between these two South American nations during the 20th century....
of 1941, Ecuador did not agree with the Rio de Janeiro Protocol. Later in 1998 the Guarantors of the Rio Protocol ruled that the border of the undelimited zone was indeed the line of the Cordillera del Cóndor, as Peru had been claiming since the 1940s.
In 1980 the Ecuadorian Army had set up in the Comaina valley, to the east of the Condor mountain range, inside the disputed border zone, which was claimed by Peru. The clash ended with a ceasefire, with three Ecuadorian bases destroyed and the Peruvian Army in control of most of the area.
In the aftermath of the incident, both sides increased their military presence along the Cordillera del Cóndor
Cordillera del Cóndor
The Cordillera del Condor is a range in Ecuador and Peru....
area and Cenepa Valley, starting an escalating spiral of tension and provocation that finally resulted in another military confrontation in 1995, the Cenepa War
Cenepa War
The Cenepa War , also known as the Alto Cenepa War, was a brief and localized military conflict between Ecuador and Peru, fought over control of a disputed area on the border between the two countries...
.
While the name Paquisha War is widely use by the international community and Ecuador, in Spanish this incident is also known as the Falso Paquisha War in Peru and, occasionally, as the Paquisha Incident.
Historical background
For details on the history of the border dispute between Ecuador and Peru, please see History of the Ecuadorian-Peruvian territorial disputeHistory of the Ecuadorian-Peruvian territorial dispute
The territorial dispute between Ecuador and Peru was the source of the longest-running international armed conflict in the Western Hemisphere...
.
The Fake Paquisha Incident
The dispute revolved around the possession of three Ecuadorian military outposts, called Paquisha, Mayaicu, and Machinaza, these located on the eastern slopes of the Cordillera del Cóndor (Cóndor mountain range).The Ecuadorian possession of these posts was denounced by Peruvian representatives at the foreign ministers' meeting of the OAS
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
, on February 2, 1981. During this meeting, the Peruvian Foreign Minister, Javier Arias Stella
Javier Arias Stella
Javier Arias Stella is a Peruvian pathologist who discovered the "Arias-Stella's phenomenon" , which is named after him.-Education:...
, called the three Ecuadorian military outposts falsos ("fakes"), despite Ecuadorian sovereignty.
The Ecuadorian Foreign Minister, Alfonso Barrera Valderde, responded to this allegation stating that when Ecuador responded to the attacks on January 28, it always specified that the attacks were being made against the destacamentos (military outposts) of Paquisha, Mayaicu, and Machinaza, not against the similarly named Ecuadorian towns.
The meeting concluded with a resolution that announced a cease fire in the conflict zone, and noted that both countries had accepted a commission of representatives from the guarantor countries to safeguard the observance of the cease fire and establish conditions for peace between Peru and Ecuador.
The Fuerza Aérea del Peru (FAP)
Peruvian Air Force
The Peruvian Air Force is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of air power...
flew many sorties with A-37B, Mirage 5P
Dassault Mirage III
The Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the late 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. It was a successful fighter aircraft, being sold to many air forces around the world and remaining in production for over a decade...
and Su-22 to support these operations. The FAE flew 179 combat missions with A-37B
A-37 Dragonfly
The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly, or Super Tweet, is a United States light attack aircraft developed from the T-37 Tweet basic trainer in the 1960s and 1970s...
and Mirage F-1 aircraft to counter the FAP attacks. On January 28, 1981 there was a dogfight between 2 A-37Bs of the FAE and FAP.
Ecuadorians were able to capture a Paquishan outpost which was in Peruvian territory according to the treaty in the Ecuadorian-Peruvian war of 1941. The Peruvian operation was not a success even though the Peruvian outpost of Paquisha, that was captured by the Ecuadorians, was taken on February 5, 1981 by Peruvian troops. The conflict, which occurred in a then non-demarcated area of the common border between Ecuador and Peru, ceased with the Ecuadorians being expelled from the slopes and driven back to the summit of the Cordillera del Cóndor.
As a result, the Peruvian and Ecuadorian governments, with assistance of each one of the Guarantors, agreed to separate their forces. This "gentlemen's agreement
Gentlemen's agreement
A gentlemen's agreement is an informal agreement between two or more parties. It may be written, oral, or simply understood as part of an unspoken agreement by convention or through mutually beneficial etiquette. The essence of a gentlemen's agreement is that it relies upon the honor of the parties...
" remained in effect throughout the 1980s, with various measures taken to codify conduct of patrols encountering one another in the disputed area.
Context of the "gentlemen's agreement."
To avoid the disaster of 1941 in regard to loss of civilian life’s and a possible invasion to the south of Ecuador, the High Command sent to twenty-five thousand men under the command of General Richelieu LevoyerRichelieu Levoyer
Levoyer Artieda, Richelieu. Military and politician of the Republic of Ecuador . Son of the Ecuadorian painter Jorge Levoyer and educator Maria Delia Artieda....
with the task of defending such possible invasion pathways.
Until then the Ecuadorian Defense Plan envisaged a logistics operations taking about eight days to install the defensive system. Levoyer proposed a new plan which placed all personnel, weapons, supplies, etc., in twenty-four hours in the front and ready to fulfill the mission of defense.
The Peruvian armed forces met with surprise the armed device in record time, so thinking that Levoyer and his men would invade the north of Peru organized the anti-tank defense lines, trenches trap, and so on.
Fortunately, events did not lead to general war, which would have become a clear loss for both countries. The widespread confrontation was avoided probably because of the direct talks between top military Commanders of the two countries, and the military Delegates of Chile, Argentina, Brazil and USA. The talks took place in the border line near the Pacific Ocean, in the towns of Huaquillas (Ecuador, Province of El Oro) and Aguas Verdes (Peru, Department of Tumbes). And the result was the Sorrosa-Du Bois Act.
The cycle of direct talks gathered those men of war face to face. While they ran, Levoyer's war essays continued both to encourage his men and to undermine the morale of their opponents who had to get used to the daily six o'clock in the morning start of the exercises with artillery and other deployment of force.
The talks included Levoyer who was called by his adversaries, the leader of the "hard line."
Aftermath
Until the resolution of the Ecuadorian-Peruvian territorial dispute in 1998, border violence remained constant, most of the time around January, which coincides with the month that the Rio ProtocolRio Protocol
The Protocol of Peace, Friendship, and Boundaries between Peru and Ecuador, or Rio Protocol for short, was an international agreement signed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on January 29, 1942, by the foreign ministers of Peru and Ecuador, with the participation of the United States, Brazil, Chile, and...
was signed. Despite several proposals to complete demarcation of the border, no agreement was possible at that time.
Several military bases were built up and down the Cordillera by both countries, and the region was militarized. The Peruvian bases were serviced by helicopter, while on the Ecuadorian side, gravel roads were constructed to several military border posts.
Some sources claim that the Ecuadorian resistance to the full implementation of the border demarcation during the 1970s and 1980s was almost entirely due to domestic political struggles.
According to the USIP, after this war, Ecuador's Foreign Ministry conducted a national opinion survey that reportedly confirmed the popularity of nullification of the Rio Protocol and Ecuador's right to sovereign access to the Amazon river
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
. Thus, in 1983, the Ecuadorian congress reaffirmed its position on the nullity of the Rio Protocol
Rio Protocol
The Protocol of Peace, Friendship, and Boundaries between Peru and Ecuador, or Rio Protocol for short, was an international agreement signed in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on January 29, 1942, by the foreign ministers of Peru and Ecuador, with the participation of the United States, Brazil, Chile, and...
.
Further reading
- Territorial Disputes and Their Resolution – The Case of Ecuador and Peru. United States Institute of Peace.
- Interview with Peruvian President Fernando Belaunder Terry, Falso Paquisha Incident Caretas
- Detailed information about the military actions in the Paquisha Incident
- The 1995 Peruvian-Ecuadorian border conflict