Ecuadorian Customs at the border, 1888

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I have no idea about colours or whether they are officials or soldiers, although the swords seem to indicate the former.

Interesting. From 1860-1937 Ecuador maintained a national police force known as the National Civil Guard under the Ministry of the Interior and a separate Customs Police Force under the Ministry of Finance. It would seem likely that the figures illustrated belonged to the latter organization. The Spanish Carabineros (combining the functions of frontier guards and customs officers during this period) wore dark blue uniforms and red facings and this may have provided a model for their former colony ........ however that is conjecture.