Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno ordered setting up specialized units to control Venezuelan immigrants after a Venezuelan man killed his pregnant Ecuadorian girlfriend in the northern city of Ibarra.
"President Moreno's official statement spurred a spiral of xenophobic violence against the Venezuelan migrant community in Ecuador," the ministry's statement read.
READ MORE: Ecuador Extends State of Emergency Over Influx of Venezuela Migrants — Reports
Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza also said on Twitter that Caracas intended to take action that might be available to it against Ecuador's xenophobic behavior.