Ecuador's June 28 extradition to Colombia of Fabio Ramirez Artunduaga, the leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia's (FARC) 48th Bloc, marks a significant step in the restoration and normalization of ties between the two South American neighbors.
Acting on months of intelligence work by Colombian and Ecuadorean officials, Ecuadorean police arrested Ramirez during a sting in Quito, a world away from the jungles where his bloc operates. Citing his status as an undocumented foreign national, Ecuadorean courts promptly announced Ramirez's extradition to Colombia. Within 48 hours of the arrest, Ramirez was in custody in Colombia.
One year ago, such seamless cooperation would have been impossible.