Quito, Apr 3 (Prensa Latina) The Ministry of Defense of Ecuador confirmed on Thursday the removal of the Ground Forces Intelligence Chief, Col. Mario Pazmino, for concealing information from President Rafael Correa.

An MoD communiqué revealed that Pazmino remains in active duty, but without post, as he awaits for the ruling of the ministry.

The text reflects that the officer failed to provide appropriate information to the president about the killing of Franklin Aisalia by Colombian military forces in northern Ecuador on March 1st.

Local press reports published video images and news recently, revealing that Aisalia was being watched carefully by the military intelligence service for several years, and the president was unaware of that.

This situation led Correa to order an investigation into the Armed Forces and Police to determine the alleged sale of such revelations to local TV channels by the military.

In this context, Minister of Defense Wellington Sandoval denied the removal of Director of Intelligence of the Armed Forces Joint Command, Gen. Luis Garzon, because of this concealing of information from the president.

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