Ecuador defense minister steps down after top brass fired

[Zorro]

Ecuador's Defense Minister Fernando Cordero resigned Tuesday, after top military brass were fired for criticizing military benefit cuts by President Rafael Correa.

"I have decided to resign as defense minister," Cordero told a briefing after the president slashed Armed Forces Social Security benefits, while insisting they were "guaranteed."

Cordero, who had held the post since September 2014 and considered progress on the issue a key priority, also said he hoped Correa would pick a replacement that "can keep making progress on that issue."

On Friday, Correa fired his top military commanders, accusing them of interfering in "administrative matters."

http://news.yahoo.com/ecuador-defense-minister-steps-down-top-brass-fired-001013444.html

Correa is really pushing his luck.

[COLGATE4]

1. Correa is forgetting the Ecuador has a long and proud

tradition of golpes de estado, replacing civilian leaders with military ones. Or maybe he just remembered.