Former Ecuadorian President recalls signing historic peace accord with Peru

Americas Now

During the 20th century, Ecuador and Peru fought over territory in the Amazon Rainforest three different times. Both countries went to war in 1941 and then confronted each other again in 1981 and 1995.

But in 1998 Ecuador´s President Jamil Mahuad and his Peruvian colleague Alberto Fujimori decided to change their history of dispute. In a record effort, they met ten times in ten weeks. And with the assistance of Argentina, Chile, Brazil and the US they finally signed a peace agreement. Both countries are now solid business partners.

President Mahuad remembers how they succeeded when all other diplomatic efforts had failed.

Today, President Jamil Mahuad lives in the United States and is a professor at Harvard University. He has been teaching several classes and seminars at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, including one on negotiation.