EPILOGUE*
*
After the capture of Esmeraldas airport a number of army units previously hiding in the jungle came out to surrender. Other units just dissolved. Fighting continued for some days in other areas of the country, especially near the capital, but the fighting morale of the Ecuadorian army had been broken. It was not long before the government also fell apart.*
*
At home and in the international stage a heated debate about the events in Ecuador flared up, with much public criticism towards how the mission had been solved and the level of violence used to execute it.*
*
For the troops deployed to Ecuador this debate meant little, infinitely more important was the fact that the duties switched from fighting a war to patrolling in conditions similar to normal peacekeeping missions. After a month most of the troops who had taken part in the invasion were quickly replaced by units from other countries. The exact reason for this was never thoroughly explained.*
