Alliance between Colombia and Ecuador
the presidency of Gabriel Garcia Moreno in Ecuador, as Colombia
aided the liberal opposition to Moreno’s policies of a unified Ecuador.
Colombia’s president, Tomas Cipriano de Mosquera, had also begun
to promote the idea of uniting Ecuador and adjoining territories with
Colombia in a recreation of Greater Colombia, which had unified the
region during the early part of the nineteenth century.
Garcia Moreno rebuffed Colombia’s overtures for union and instead
invaded. The Ecuadorian force of 6,000 troops was defeated by a
smaller number of Colombian regulars who then crossed the border
into Ecuador. An armistice was quickly signed on December 30, 1863,
and the two sides agreed to respect the prewar boundaries. This
alliance reinforced that agreement with a pledge of mutual defense.
Alliance Text
FORASMUCH, as between the Ministers Plenipotentiary of the
United States of Colombia and of the Republic of Ecuador, a
Treaty of Peace has been concluded at the place called “Pin-
saqui,” on the 30th day of the present month, the literal tenor of
which is as follows :
The President of the United States of Colombia, and the
President of the Republic of Ecuador, being desirous of putting
an end to the war in which, unfortunately, the two countries
have been engaged, and of re-establishing peace by means of a
public Treaty, have named as their Ministers Plenipotentiary for
that object, the former, General Antonio Gonzales Carazo, Sec-
retary of State for War and Marine, and the latter, His Excel-
lency General Juan Jose Flores, General-in-Chief of the Ecuado-
rian Army, who, after examining the full powers with which
they are invested, and having duly conferred together, have
agreed upon the following Articles :
ART. I. Peace, friendship, and alliance are hereby re-estab-
lished between the United States of Colombia and the Republic
of Ecuador, and in no case shall they ever have recourse to the
ruinous arbitrament of arms in order to obtain redress, should
any differences hereafter occur between them or for the griev-
ances they may have to complain of.
II. The field-officers and officers, prisoners of war, having
been set at liberty on their parole by the President of the United
States of Colombia, the obligations contracted by them are
hereby cancelled, and should any others be still detained they
shall receive passports, in order that they may freely return to
their homes.
III. The Treaty of Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation,
concluded between New Granada and Ecuador, on the 9th of
July, 1856, remains in full vigour, as well as any other agree-
ments or Conventions made between the two countries, in 80
far as they are not opposed to or abrogated by the present
Treaty.
IV. The military forces in the south of the United States of
Colombia, and those in the north of Ecuador, shall be respec-
tively reduced to the number necessary for maintaining order in
the interior.
V. The exchange of the ratifications of the present Treaty not
requiring the approbation of the Legislatures shall be made at
this place “Pinsaqui,” within 3 days from the date hereof, and
the Additional Treaty shall be concluded immediately and be
submitted to the Legislatures of both countries.
In faith whereof we, the Plenipotentiaries of the United
States of Colombia, and of the Republic of Ecuador, do sign and
seal these presents, at the place called “Piusaqui,” this 30th day
of December, 1863.
(L.S.) A. GONZALES CARAZO.
(L.S.) J. JOSE FLORES.
Therefore, in the name of the United States of Colombia, I do
hereby accept, ratify, and confirm this present Treaty of Peace
and Friendship, pledging the national honour for the faithful
fulfilment of the stipulations therein contained.
In faith whereof I do hereby ratify the foregoing Treaty, and
hereto affix my hand and the seal of the United States of
Colombia, countersigned by the Secretary of State for the Home
and Foreign Departments.
Ibarra, 1st January, 1864.
(L.S.) T. C. DE MOSQUERA.
(L.S.) M. DE J. QUIJANO.ADDITIONAL TREATY to the Treaty of
Alliance, Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation
between the Republics of Colombia and
Ecuador, of the 30th December. 1863. — Signed
at Pinsaqui, January 1, 1864.
THE objects of the alliance are the following :
ART. I. To maintain and defend the liberty, sovereignty, inde-
pendence, find integrity of their respective territories, guaran-
teeing their dominion and seignorage over the same, and
repelling by force every foreign invasion.
II. To prevent all forcible intervention, whether the object be
to favour any political party, or to alter the institutions of either
of the Contracting Republics.
III. In order that the relations established by the present
Treaty may become more intimate and friendly, the Custom-
House of Carlosama is hereby abolished, and all articles exported
from Ecuador to the United States of Colombia by the Carchi,
shall be free from duties and taxes ; in the same manner shall all
goods exported from the United States of Colombia to Ecuador,
by the above-named river, be free of all duties and taxes, and as
far as possible the Custom-House system of the High Contract-
ing Parties shall be assimilated, as well as their weights, measures,
and coinage, and their commerce and navigation, abolishing the
land Custom-Houses at their respective frontiers, and everything
else tending to embarrass their mutual transactions.
IV. To maintain the integrity of the territory belonging to
ancient Colombia.
V. With a view to the fulfilment of the obligation established
by the preceding Article, when the casus foederisshall arise, the
High Contracting Parties shall fix beforehand, by special agree-
ment, the number of sea and land forces which they are to
contribute reciprocally. In the said agreements, rules shall