Peru clarifies to Colombia that there is nothing to discuss regarding the sovereignty of the Amazon island.

The Peruvian government reaffirmed that " there is no discussion " about the Peruvian sovereignty of the Amazonian district of Santa Rosa de Loreto, in response to statements by President Gustavo Petro, who stated on Thursday, August 7, that he does not recognize either the sovereignty or the authorities of the Andean country in this border territory, an island in the middle of the Amazon River.

On Thursday, Peruvian Prime Minister Eduardo Arana read a seven-point declaration addressed to Petro , signed by President Dina Boluarte, from Santa Rosa de Loreto.

(See: Sovereignty of Santa Rosa Island in the Amazon would be defined in mid-September .)

" We reiterate that there is no discussion whatsoever about Peru's sovereignty in the district of Santa Rosa de Loreto or on any of our borders ," Arana said, categorically rejecting the Colombian president's statements.

On Tuesday, August 5, Petro accused the Peruvian government of having "appropriated" Santa Rosa de Loreto by granting municipal status to a town administered by the Peruvian state for more than half a century. This area is currently connected to Chinería Island, assigned to Peru under the 1922 treaty that established the boundaries between the two countries along that waterway.

Santa Rosa is located on an island in the middle of the Amazon River and together with Leticia (Colombia) and Tabatinga (Brazil) make up the triple border that these three countries share on the Amazon River.

(See: How Peruvian is Santa Rosa? This is life on the Amazonian island that Colombia is asking for .)

For Peru, it is just another part of Chinería Island, and it has been in charge of administering this population since its inception without opposition from Colombia, which now maintains that it is an independent island whose sovereignty should be assigned to a binational commission.

In his statement, Arana maintained that the sovereignty of the aforementioned district " is supported by the history and presence of Peruvian state institutions in this jurisdiction ."

" Latin America, and especially South America, need to focus on development, investment, infrastructure modernization, the fight against poverty, education, and health. This is where heads of state should concentrate their efforts ," he said in response to statements by Petro, who was in Leticia on Thursday to commemorate the Battle of Boyacá, which sealed Colombia's independence.

The Prime Minister added that Peru is a country that knows how to engage in dialogue and resolve problems with a vocation for peace, but warned that they have nothing to discuss in this regard. " We have always been firm in defending our territory and interests, and there is no border dispute with Colombia ," he noted.

(See: Santa Rosa, the small island that sparked a standoff between Colombia and Peru ).

Defense of territorial integrity

Finally, Arana stated that the Peruvian people must have the assurance and full confidence that the Government and its authorities are looking out for national interests, the defense of sovereignty, and the territorial integrity of the country. After finishing reading the document, both the ministerial cabinet and residents of the district shouted "Viva Santa Rosa de Loreto" and "Viva Perú," and sang the Peruvian anthem with national flags. Arana specified that while the official Peruvian delegation was making their official visit to this border region, they heard the words of Petro, who was in Leticia, on the other side of the river, celebrating the third of his four years in office.

(See: The Petro government's Interoceanic Train would cost $54.6 billion: when would it be ready ?).

" Colombia does not recognize Peru's sovereignty over the so-called Santa Rosa Island and does not recognize the de facto authorities imposed in the area ," Petro said in Leticia, located across from Santa Rosa, adding that the allocation of that island and others that emerged in the Amazon River after 1929 should be discussed by a binational commission and, ultimately, in international courts.

Petro expressed Colombia's willingness to reactivate the Permanent Joint Commission for the Inspection of the Colombian-Peruvian Border (Comperif) and confirmed that he had received an invitation from the Peruvian government to participate in a meeting of this organization on September 11 and 12 in Lima.

EFE