President of Peru Confirms Sovereignty Over Santa Rosa Island in the Amazon

• Dina Boluarte confirmed Peru's sovereignty over Santa Rosa Island.
• Tensions between Peru and Colombia have increased due to the arrest of Colombians.
• About 3,000 people live on the island, whose status is disputed.

LIMA, Peru (AP) — President of Peru Dina Boluarte visited the island in the Amazon River on September 15, which has become the subject of territorial dispute with Colombia, where she reaffirmed Peru's undeniable sovereignty over the territory.

This was Boluarte's first visit to the island amid diplomatic tensions with Colombia. The President of Colombia Gustavo Petro recently prohibited Peru's jurisdiction over Santa Rosa Island.

On the island, Boluarte met with leaders of security structures and members of parliament, where she performed the hymn of Peru in front of red-and-white flags.

"Unfortunately, for several days now, hostile actions have been taking place that affect the brotherhood between our countries and neighboring communities," Boluarte noted. "Peru's sovereignty is not subject to doubt; the Santa Rosa area of Loreto remains Peruvian and will remain so."

Tensions between neighboring countries escalated on September 12, when Peruvian police arrested three Colombians who were conducting land works on the island. On Thursday, the government of Colombia demanded the immediate release of those detained, after a Peruvian court released one of them, but kept two in custody for seven days for investigation.

Petro called the arrests "kidnapping." His government asserts that the detainees — a geodesist and a boat driver — were working to expand the river channel in Colombian territory of Leticia. Peruvian authorities stated that the workers did not have permission to conduct the measurements.

The arrest of the two Colombians became the third incident in this region after the one on September 5, when Petro prohibited Peru's jurisdiction over Santa Rosa Island. Two days later, a Colombian military aircraft flew over the island, and on September 14, the former mayor of the Colombian city of Medellín Daniel Quintero established the Colombian flag there, which was later removed by the police.

On the small island of Santa Rosa, which emerged in the middle of the Amazon River in the last century, about 3,000 people live.

Peru asserts that it owns Santa Rosa Island based on old treaties, but Colombia disputes this ownership, claiming the island has not been included in any agreement.

Tags: Politics