Ecuador expels US ambassador in flap over after cable divulged by WikiLeaks

[rabs]

Source: By Associated Press,





By Associated Press, Tuesday, April 5, 2:12 PM

GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador — Ecuador announced Tuesday the expulsion of the U.S. ambassador, apparently over a 2009 diplomatic cable divulged by WikiLeaks in which the envoy accuses Ecuador’s newly retired police chief of corruption and recommends he be stripped of his U.S. visa.

Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino announced the expulsion of Ambassador Heather Hodges at a news conference.

He said Hodges had not adequately explained the presumptions she expressed in the cables that leftist President Rafael Correa was aware of the “supposed acts of corruption by members of the police leadership and more specifically the former commander of the institution, Jaime Hurtado Vaca.”

In a separate statement issued by its Washington embassy, Ecuador stressed that expulsion was not directed against the Barack Obama administration. “It is unfortunate that the published documents on WikiLeaks have made it impossible to continue collaborating with the current ambassador to Quito, but we hope to work with a new ambassador,” the statement said.


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/ecuador-expels-us-ambassador-in-flap-over-after-cable-divulged-by-wikileaks/2011/04/05/AFBZyqjC_story.html

---

Heather Hodges was named ambassador to Quito in 2008 by the dumbya administration.

This makes three South American countries sans Hillary ambassadors, Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela.

[EFerrari]

1. I wonder if her charges against Hurtado have anything to do with

that internal report that Ecuadoran security forces being infiltrated by our intel people.

[EFerrari]

2. This was just after the Colombian raid on FARC

Ecuador shakes up security forces
Posted 4/9/2008 5:55 PM

By Jeanneth Valdivieso, Associated Press Writer
QUITO, Ecuador — Ecuador shook up its army and police leadership on Wednesday, the political fallout from a Colombian raid that shattered the president's trust in his security forces.

President Rafael Correa demanded the resignations of Defense Minister Wellington Sandoval and national police director Gen. Bolivar Cisneros in the intelligence and security purge. Two other top military commanders offered to resign on Wednesday.

The leftist president had even alleged that the CIA had infiltrated Ecuador's intelligence agencies -- and that top officials were more beholden to American spies than their own country.

Correa was outraged that military intelligence apparently advised Colombian officials -- but not him -- about an Ecuadorean man's contacts with Colombian rebels. The man was killed by the Colombian military in a cross-border raid last month on a camp maintained by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2008-04-09-3188424035_x.htm

[Judi Lynn]

11. That was so dirty. They were dealing with US personel behind Correa's back, as you say.

What president wouldn't absolutely insist on cleaning house on the spot? He was furious, and wasted no time getting the people he knew about out of their positions.

That was a real shock the US had gone that far, that blantantly, at that time!

Thank you for the needed reminder.

[JackRiddler]

34. "What president wouldn't absolutely insist on cleaning house on the spot?"

I'm afraid you know at least one answer to that, unfortunately.

[EFerrari]

3. And of course, there was a coup attempt last year by the police.

that was dismissed in our corporate media.

Back in charge
Oct 1st 2010, 15:54 by S.K. | QUITO

THE standoff between Ecuador's president, Rafael Correa, and its striking police ended with a Hollywood-worthy flourish. Around 500 soldiers sporting gas masks stormed the hillside police hospital where Mr Correa was being held and whisked him back to the presidential palace amid a hail of gunfire. After returning to safety, the president announced a purge of "irregular" officers, while the police chief, Freddy Martínez, resigned. At least two people were killed.

Mr Correa has strengthened his hand by refusing to make concessions to the striking police. In 1987, the last time mutinying officers kidnapped the president—yes, such events have sadly become a recognisable part of Ecuador's political landscape —the conservative León Febres Cordero met air-force troopers' demand that he release a general who had fomented a previous rebellion from prison. In contrast, Mr Correa was defiant, saying he was prepared to die before submitting to his security forces' insubordination. That may embolden him to dissolve Congress next week, as many local political analysts believe is likely.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/americasview/2010/10/ecuadors_police_uprising

[rabs]

4. At first look does not seem to be related to coup attempt of last year

The U.S. Embassy cable really lowered the boom on Hurtado, who was national police commander for just over a year, April 2008 to May 2009. The embassy accused him of extorsion, accumulating riches and property, disrupting investigations, people smuggling and other deeds. The embassy asked his, his wife's and daughter's visas be revoked.

The cable was published by the Madrid newspaper El Pais just today, March 5, and it hit the fan in Quito.

What rankled Correa most was that the embassy said it was certain that Correa knew about Hurtado's corruption but that Correa had appointed him because he wanted a police commander he could "easily manipulate."

The Andes news agency said the ambassador failed to provide a satisfactory explanation about the embassy charges, saying only that it was "information stolen from the U.S. government."

So off goes Heather.

Too bad, Quito is a nice place.

Spanish from a newspaper in Cuenca, Ecuador

http://www.eltiempo.com.ec/noticias-cuenca/63950-jaime-hurtado-acusado-de-abuso-de-poder/

(edit to clearify)

[EFerrari]

5. Maybe not directly but it's still an attempt to screw with

the police force and with Correa.

Wasn't there an earlier flap about the US wanting to chose the leadership for Ecuador's security forces -- a move that was enabled by some training program provided by the US? Argh, I hate half remembering what I've read somewhere. lol

[rabs]

10. Think it had to do with the spending of funds

provided by the U.S. to train police officers that led to a disagreement. Me too argh, can't remember the details.

--------------

Agencia Andes has details of the meeting Patiño/Hodges. She was summoned (yesterday, cq, not today) to the Foreign Ministry to explain the cable. The meeting lasted only TWO minutes.

Patiño said the government was surprised and indignant and demanded an explanation.

Hodges responded only that the cables had been stolen and so she had nothing else to say about the matter.

“Le dije a la señora embajadora que el Gobierno de Ecuador estaba sorprendido, que el presidente (Correa) estaba absolutamente indignado por el contenido de dichos cables y que queríamos saber acerca de su veracidad. La señora solamente manifestó que esos cables, que esa documentación había sido robada y que, por tanto, ella y el gobierno de los EEUU no tenía que hacer ninguna observación, ningún comentario y ninguna aclaración al respecto”, señaló Patiño.

(Translation mine)

"I told the señora ambassador that the government of Ecuador was surprised, that President Correa was absolutely incensed over the content of the cables and that we wanted to know about their veracity. The señora said only that the government of the United States did not have to make any observation about those cables, that those documents had been stolen and for that reason neither she nor the United States had to make any observation, any comment or any clarification about the matter," Patiño said.

Al considerar la respuesta insuficiente e insatisfactoria, el Gobierno de Ecuador decidió considerar a Hodges como una persona no grata y le pidió que abandone el país en el menor tiempo posible.

After considering the reply insufficient and unsatisfactory, the Government of Ecuador decided to consider Hodges as a persona non grata and asked her to leave the country in the shortest time possible.

Hodges was officially notified she was persona non grata at 9:30 this morning.

More here in Spanish

http://andes.info.ec/portada/ecuador-pide-a-embajadora-de-eeuu-abandonar-el-pais-en-el-menor-tiempo-posible-57173.html

-------------------

And so, the arrogance of Hil's State Department -- doesn't have to give any explanation to anyone of what the United Stages government does in their countries !!!

[EFerrari]

12. The attitude seems only to have been hardened in the last two years, imo. n/t

[Judi Lynn]

13. You'd ever know we changed Presidents after her appointment.

Not one bit of difference in the snotty hostility from the US side.

[Peace Patriot]

20. Here's the earlier flap of U.S. Embassy vs Ecuador, over police appointment...

Ecuador expels second US diplomat - 2/19/2009

Ecuador has expelled a second American diplomat in just over a week, accusing both officials of interfering in its internal affairs.

Foreign minister Falconi gave Mr Sullivan 48 hours to leave the country

Ecuador has expelled a second American diplomat in just over a week, accusing both officials of interfering in its internal affairs.

Both US officials were accused of meddling with police appointments in a US-funded anti-narcotics programme.

Washington has rejected the charges and called the expulsions unjustified.

Aid dispute

Last week, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa ordered US customs attache Armando Astorga to leave on similar charges.

It accused Mr Astorga of being "insolent and foolish" and said he had treated Ecuador like a colony by trying to dictate the Ecuadoran police's choice of a commander for an anti-smuggling unit in return for $340,000 in US aid.

The Ecuadorean government accused Mr Sullivan of trying to do the same thing.

"Following the Astorga affair, Sullivan also placed conditions on logistics cooperation with the police," Mr Falconi said. (MORE)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7898432.stm

--------------------------

Can't be sure but it doesn't look like Hurtado was involved in this. However, Hurtado was probably appointed to help cleanse the police/security forces of CIA assets. That would explain U.S. interest in smearing him. Or it could explain the ambassador's personal agenda. She couldn't recruit Hurtado thus had to paint him as corrupt to explain her own failure. (Gotta beware of all kind of "agendas" in these cables--personal as well as corporate/war profiteer/government.)

It is just LAUGHABLE--and I mean belly laughs--to imagine a U.S. ambassador all pissy about corruption! Criminy, the entire government of Colombia was being run as a criminal enterprise--including thousands of murders--with U.S. blessings! And the fascists running Honduras are stealing hand over fist from the people. Wherever the U.S. gets a boot in, corruption flourishes--often murderous corruption.

[rabs]

22. You may have pinpointed the reason for the cable

From your post:

However, Hurtado was probably appointed to help cleanse the police/security forces of CIA assets. That would explain U.S. interest in smearing him.

----------------------

Correa gave a radio interview in the city of Puno this afternoon in which he said that the accusations against Hurtado were probably because (Hurtado) helped to dismantle the (police) units that were financed by the CIA and paid by the U.S. Embassy.

Correa said the cable was full of "bad faith" and that it was always suspected that Hodges was a member of the (U.S.) extreme right-wing opposed to the his government.

Correa said the meddling of the ambassador in Ecuador's internal affairs was "very grave" and that the cable had information about internal police matters, which showed the police had been infiltrated.

Correa said that at least in Latin America, (U.S.) colonialism is finished.

More in Spanish

http://www4.elcomercio.com/politica/Correa-Hodges-es-extrema-derecha.aspx

[Peace Patriot]

28. Wow! Looks like I hit a bull's eye! Thanks for the info!

Honestly, I was just guessing--from the time-frame, and from having followed a number of events in Ecuador vs the U.S. I also kind of figured that Hurtado had to be a major obstacle to some devious U.S. purpose, for him to merit such a smear.

I've been thinking about the LATER "police coup"--or attempted coup. That was more than likely a plot designed in Washington DC. Hurtado likely had a role in weakening that scheme, by purging CIA assets. That is possibly why it failed. So--backing up to the time-frame of this cable--the U.S. embassy was likely furiously working to gain operatives within the police, security and military forces, to be activated when the plot matured. This would make the U.S. ambassador doubly pissed off, if Hurtado was retarding the plot in this way. In other words, it wasn't just an idle or general recruitment that failed (if they tried to recruit Hurtado), or an idle or general effort to get around him and recruit others; it was instead part of a PLAN and the U.S. ambassador had specific tasks that needed to be accomplished, to further the plan. This would add to the U.S. ambassador's fury at being foiled.

[Judi Lynn]

41. Very skillful "guessing," Peace Patriot. Done from a concerned, informed perspective. Congrats! n/t

[Peace Patriot]

33. "Correa said that at least in Latin America, (U.S.) colonialism is finished."

What's wonderful about this statement is that it means (or I think it means) that it really is true--I haven't been dreaming--that Latin America's leaders NOW HAVE EACH OTHER'S BACKS, and are unified and feel strong about their collective ability to protect each other's sovereignty. I've seen lots of hints of this entirely new phenomenon in Latin America--especially in South America--and some bold actions back a few years during the Bush Junta--but for Correa to SAY this CONFIRMS his feeling of freedom TO say it. It means he's spoken to others. It means he's hearing it often in Latin America leader confabs. It's "in the air." Correa has always been outspoken. He's actually more abrupt--sharper edged--than Chavez. But for him to say this publicly means that he is really convinced of it. Notice he didn't say "U.S. colonialism in Ecuador." He said U.S. colonialism in Latin America. He feels part of a movement that is ending U.S. colonialism in the only way that it can be ended--by Latin American countries and their leaders sticking together.

This is a very interesting and very telling remark. It's not unusual that he would think it, or say it in private, or that any leftist leader might think or say it privately. And it would not be unusual for him or any leftist to say that 'the days of U.S. colonialism are numbered' or that he wants to end U.S. colonialism. But for him to say that it's "finished" indicates confidence and sureness of a new kind, even beyond events like UNASUR's backing of Morales when he threw the U.S. ambassador out of Bolivia.

At that time, the other leaders didn't say that the U.S. was responsible for the white separatist insurrection in Bolivia. They just backed up Morales and helped him end the insurrection and helped out in other ways. Somebody could certainly have said, at that time, that U.S. colonialism in Latin America was "finished." Really, that is probably the date that should be given to its end (September 2008). The U.S. could not pull off Morales' toppling because the rest of South America pulled together to back him. Contrast that event--in which no one (outside of Morales) commented on the U.S. role, with Correa--having survived the police and rightwing attempted coup--saying that U.S. colonialism is "finished." Why would he say that, except that he KNOWS it from the OTHER leaders? (He couldn't say it just from his experience in Ecuador.)

Venezuela '02 is another possible date for the end of U.S. colonialism in Latin America--but that defeat of the U.S. was accomplished by the Venezuelan people themselves, and did not necessarily portend the election of so many other leftist presidents and their later cooperative action on Bolivia and other U.S. meddling. It took several years for Chavez, Lula da Silva in Brazil, Nestor Kirchner in Argentina, and others, to start forming these alliances and forging this truly new Latin American consensus. You could say they failed in Honduras, and that U.S. colonialism is alive and well in Central America and the Caribbean. But SENTIMENT may be strong in that region AGAINST U.S. colonialism and it may be only a matter of time before Central America/the Caribbean pulls together as South America has.

It may be a much more difficult struggle--since it appears that the U.S. and in particular the Pentagon are "circling the wagons" in the Central American/Caribbean region. But the trend from the South is pretty overwhelming. And I can't help but mention that Honduran general's remark that their coup was intended "to prevent communism from Venezuela reaching the United States." Another very telling remark. "Communism," in this general's mind and the minds of those he talks to in Washington DC, of course means democracy, social justice, independence and sovereignty. "Communism" is a shibboleth, meaning defiance of U.S./corpo-fascist dictates. The U.S. simply doesn't mean "justice" any more, even some of the time. The U.S. is the destroyer of democracy and justice and the enforcer of corporate rule, by bullying or by bludgeoning. That is the sad fact. And, of course, they would call anyone who opposes them "communist," to this simpleton general, who apparently is still fighting Reagan's "dirty war."

[EFerrari]

35. Given Cablegate and given the unsuccessful coup by the national police,

Hodges must have seen this coming for a while now.

[rabs]

36. One more note on what Correa said

(and once again your uncanny instincts are on the mark)

-------------------

-- (Correa) indicated that at least in Latin America, colonialism is finished, and in Ecuador, they (U.S.) are going to come up against dignity and sovereignty.


-- Correa recalled that Lula da Silva in his farewell as president of Brazil indicated that the most important legacy is that now thinking is done with the head and now no one will make us submit.

-- Correa said there would be retaliation by the U.S., although the blame lies with Washington for sending such bad ambassadors who seek to meddle in some countries, (but) the response to that will be at the regional level. "I am sure that UNASUR will totally support Ecuador in this case."


Above from the Andes News Agency (Ecuador)

http://andes.info.ec/portada/correa-califica-como-muy-grave-intromision-de-embajadora-de-eeuu-en-asuntos-internos-57267.html

[Peace Patriot]

37. "..no one will make us submit." Wow! How telling is that!

"...the response to that (U.S. retaliation for Ecuador defending itself) will be at the regional level." --Rafael Correa

-----------------

"..no one will make us submit." This is echoing in my brain. "..no one will make us submit." I find it moving. It almost makes me tearful. "..no one will make us submit." It is so like how we once were in this country. Not just the early revolutionaries, but also the later anti-slavery movement, the labor movement, the women's suffrage movement, the "New Deal" movement (and the California populist movement), the civil rights movement, the anti-Vietnam War movement and I should say, the current Wisconsin movement (the new labor movement), for it certainly seems to be a rebirth of our past spirit of rebellion. "..no one will make us submit."

I would even include the anti-Franco (anti-fascist) movement here, and the attitude of our people during WW II (anti-Nazi movement). Though the capitalist powers could have, and didn't, prevent WW II, and though I don't mean armed resistance to injustice, the courage, idealism and nobility of the people who tried to defeat Franco and who did defeat Hitler, in the end (with Soviet Russia's considerable help), are remarkable, in my view, and I would say the same of the Vietnamese, whose ONLY GOAL, throughout that U.S.-inflicted horror, was that "no one will make us submit."

But what the political developments in Latin America, over the last decade, are most akin to, are the peaceful movements here, such as the labor movement and especially the civil rights movement. "..no one will make us submit."

The Latin Americans have done this peacefully by pulling together, by solidarity. It is especially awesome that the notion "..no one will make us submit" has crossed borders from Venezuela outward, south and north. That was the attitude of the million Venezuelans who poured out of their hovels into the streets, and surrounded Miraflores palace, during the 2002 U.S.-backed coup attempt. "..no one will make us submit" any more. It's over. U.S.-backed fascist government is OVER. 'We will NOT put up with it ANY MORE.'

And now it is region-wide. One key to it going region-wide is Lula da Silva and his utter refusal to obey Washington's dictate to "isolate Chavez" (circa 2006, just as Correa was being elected in Ecuador). Morally, Nestor Kirchner's reply, "But he's my brother!" set the tone. But practically and strategically, it was Lula who made it stick, bringing Brazils' weight to bear in favor of solidarity and regional independence, and in having Chavez's back. Lula may end up being considered one of the greatest leaders of the 21st century for his visionary recognition of the need for social justice region-wide and the consequent need for regional solidarity and cooperation (his and Chavez's "raise all boats" philosophy). Though Chavez has taken the brunt of hostility from our multinational corporate/war profiteer rulers, and was certainly the pioneer leader of this peaceful leftist democracy revolution, he could well have been "isolated" and the efforts of his awesome grass roots supporters could have been for naught. But Lula wouldn't have it--and what an incredibly wise decision that was!

I supposed it helped that, as a labor leader, Lula was persecuted and jailed by the U.S.-backed dictatorship in Brazil. But we have seen enough of leaders betraying their roots, and getting bought-and-paid-for, to know that background alone does not make great leaders. His consistent vision, from his steelworker days through his election as president of Brazil, close upon the Bolivarian revolution in Venezuela, and on to the election of so many other leftist leaders and the creation of UNASUR, has been rather amazing, considering the temptations of Brazil's prosperity. Particular decisions of his have sometimes not been so great. (His biofuels deal with the Bush Junta pretty much stunk.) But the trend of his thinking overall, and his courage and strength in defense of the region's independence, have been critically important. Rafael Correa is so right to credit him with the fact that Ecuador can now say, "..no one will make us submit."

I want to add, though, that these astonishing developments in Latin America have NOT been the work of any one leader, nor of leaders alone. They have been the work of the PEOPLE of Latin America, who have produced and then elected leaders who will act in their interest. That is very important to remember, as the U.S. corporate/war profiteer establishment plays its propaganda games, trying to "isolate" this leader or that leader as current "bogeyman." One of the biggest reasons that this transglobal "robber baron" U.S. establishment has failed, in Latin America, has been the genuineness of Latin America's democracy. I just have to guffaw when I read about USAID "democracy" programs. They are such an utter and cynical farce. Our U.S. establishment hates democracy. They are seething with hatred of it, here and elsewhere. Democracy is REAL in Latin America, and that is WHY they hate its leaders so much. The U.S. establishment's true attitude toward democracy is summed up in the Hillary Clinton-arranged fraudulent elections in Honduras and Haiti. There, we see U.S. elections in miniature. Elections are hugely fraudulent here. A far rightwing corporatiion even owns the 'TRADE SECRET' code in the voting machines. I mean, it is so blatant! And wherever the U.S. manages to force its way in, in Latin America, fraudulent elections and fraudulent leaders are the inevitable result. We recreate what we have become--a fraudulent democracy.

Latin Americans have shown the way. Not just Chavez, not just Lula, not just Correa, not just Morales, not just Kirchner. The poor mother in the barrio. The poor campesino on his 2-acre farm. The poor street vendor in Caracas. The poor maid who never got to finish grade school and wants to now. Also, the idealistic professional in the election monitoring movement--a very important person in all this. The music teacher who created the Venezuelan children's orchestra. The labor leaders, artists, students, clergy, medical professionals, writers, intellectuals, and social movement leaders of every kind. ALL created the leftist democracy movement in Latin America. Organized, got out the vote, monitored the vote, and hammered away, day in, day out, at the numerous tasks of democracy. They are an inspiration. And the result is that Latin American leaders like Correa can now say, "..no one will make us submit."

[Judi Lynn]

40. Tremendous catch. Wonderful. n/t

[Peace Patriot]

24. I gotta crow about how I found this, and how good Google is...

I put the following into Google's simple search engine: "Ecuador, sovereignty, police, appointment."

The 2009 incident came up fifth!

I remembered that Correa had used the word "sovereignty" in expressing his objections to the U.S. ambassador appointing a police unit head. (It stuck with me because I was beginning to get educated on how INSULTING the U.S. often is, in its relations with "little countries"--and how much the U.S. tries to assault and diminish their sovereignty, just like the multinational corporations do, that rule the U.S. The U.S. = Exxon Mobil, or Chevron--in attitude toward the sovereignty, self-rule, democracy and dignity of countries and peoples whom they feel that it is their right to exploit.)

Anyway, didn't remember any of the names involved but I think the word "sovereignty" combined with the other words, is what turned it up.

Didn't we just see Mike Sullivan's name (U.S. ambassador thrown out of Ecuador in this earlier incident) in connection with some other U.S. outrage, recently? Now I'm wracking my brain about THAT!

[EFerrari]

25. Thanks!

:hi:

[rabs]

42. Hurtado was indeed involved in the expulsion of Astorga

Looks like Hurtado refused to have an Ecuadoran police official submit to lie-detector tests by USG agents from the DHS/ICE. That led to a threatening letter from Astorga to Hurtado, and Correa got his hands on it. Cable is from Feb. 2009.


SUBJECT: CORREA ANGRY OVER CONDITIONS ON VETTED UNIT

REF: A. QUITO 57 B. QUITO 10 QUITO 00000100 001.2 OF 003

Classified By: Ambassador Heather Hodges for reason 1.4 (D) 1.

(C) Summary: During his February 7 weekly radio/TV address, an indignant President Correa, reading from a January 8 letter from the DHS/ICE Attache in Quito, rejected coordinated selection of personnel for an anti-smuggling/contraband unit and announced the Attache's expulsion, apparently unaware that he had departed three weeks earlier.

He threatened that the GOE would do similar checks on pilots flying counter-narcotics surveillance planes under the gas-and-go model after the FOL departs.

EVENTS THAT LED TO CORREA'S OUTBURST
2. (C) The Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement (DHS/ICE), using funding from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs through the Narcotics Affairs Section, has supported the Ecuadorian National Police National Intelligence Directorate's Center for Anti-Contraband Operations (COAC) since FY 2003.

A verbal agreement existed between the ICE Attache and police commanders that the personnel would submit to polygraph tests in order to avoid corruption. USG assistance to the unit, which targeted those involved in human smuggling as well as contraband, totaled $720,000 to date.

3. (C) In December 2008, Ecuadorian National Police commander General Jaime Hurtado informed DHS/ICE Attache Armando Astorga that he had decided to appoint a new COAC chief without coordinating with DHS/ICE.

Astorga attempted to persuade Hurtado to follow agreed procedures. When his efforts failed, Astorga sent the January 8 letter to Hurtado, with the concurrence of his headquarters and the Ambassador. It stated that DHS/ICE operational and logistical support would be terminated and asked for the return of all equipment previously provided. The letter suggested that the decision could be revisited if circumstances change.

Cable:

http://www.eluniverso.com/2011/04/06/1/1355/cable-191162.html

[Judi Lynn]

14. Our media did a lot of hard work keeping that event very murky here.

I do recall some attempt to sneer at his dramatic challenge to the renegades as he stood in front of them, and some desperation from right-wingers to down-play the lethality of the police renegades' attempt to shoot him, which was all captured on video.

It's going to be a struggle, but the people of the Americas aren't going to take abuse from the north forever, not when it attempts to personally afflict, destroy, manipulate the lives of human beings who ARE outside its own borders.

[EFerrari]

19. BBC, too.

The presenter I watched went out of her way to ask three different people (reporter and two commentators) if Correa wasn't just hysterical or words to that effect.

That's when I knew something big had just happened. lol :hi:

[Judi Lynn]

38. She was shopping for the answer she wanted. Desperate. n/t

[struggle4progress]

6. She's a * appointee.

[EFerrari]

7. Fine, but Obama's LatAm policy is indistinguishable from what came before. n/t

[DeSwiss]

8. Yep. There's a lot of that going around. :-/ n/t

[EFerrari]

9. The truth is, I'm a little silly to be irked with Obama

when there is a centuries old structure and habit in place that he hasn't changed in two years. But it does irk me mightily. :)

[Bragi]

21. Meanwhile, Manning continues to be tortured

Maybe the fact that the man who brought all this to light is still being abused and tortured with the approval of the White House is something we can still be irked about.

[EFerrari]

27. Yes. n/t

[Judi Lynn]

15. Ecuador says her comment was "unacceptable, malicious and reckless."

Taken from CNN's basic account:
Ecuador says U.S. ambassador not welcome
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/americas/04/05/ecuador.us.ambassador/index.html?hpt=T2

http://www.aporrea.org.nyud.net:8090/imagenes/gente/heather_hodges_portada.jpg

Heather Hodges, don't let the door smack you on your way out.

[EFerrari]

16. Here is a link to the text of the cable:

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Cable/corrupcion/elpepuintlat/20110404elpepuint_16/Tes

[rabs]

17. So the "national security" of the United States was threatened

by a corrupt police chief in a tiny, third-world country :rofl:

Does Hil's State Department really have such dumb embassy staffers/ambassadors :shrug:

Guess so.

[EFerrari]

18. That's why I think, he wasn't playing ball.

If he were our sonuvabitch, that would be different. :)

[msanthrope]

23. Too bad--she was right about Hurtado being a human trafficker and a union buster.

From the wikileaks cables--

5. (S/NF) In 2005, a taxi union in the city of Cuenca filed a formal
complaint alleging extortion by Hurtado. A close colleague of
Hurtado's, Major Bolivar VILLOTA, who was serving in Cuenca at the
same time, was later transferred to a command position in the Transit
Police in the town of Sangolqui. After numerous complaints of
corruption committed by Villota in his new position, the ENP's
Inspector General's office began an undercover investigation of
Villota in 2006 which reportedly confirmed the previous allegations
of corruption by Hurtado and Villota. Investigators also later found
that two lower-ranking accomplices of Villota were involved in a
scheme re-documenting and re-tagging stolen vehicles. Hurtado
eventually learned of the investigation, and ordered the undercover
officer conducting it removed and transferred.


(S/NF) In April 2008, Hurtado was appointed Commanding General of
the ENP. (Note: Hurtado's corrupt activities were so widely known
within the upper ranks of the ENP that some Embassy officials believe
that President Correa must have been aware of them when he made the
appointment. These observers believe that Correa may have wanted to
have an ENP Chief whom he could easily manipulate. End Note.) In
late January 2009, the two ENP officers in charge of immigration
enforcement in Guayaquil, Col. Milton Raul ANDRADE and Maj. Manuel
Fernando BASANTES, were each receiving bribes related to alien
smuggling activities. Andrade extorted on average $2000 per week
from ENP officials at the Guayaquil airport, who in turn were
receiving bribes for the safe passage of illegal immigrants through
the airport. The other officials each received on average $1000 per
week in bribes. The group typically moved from five to eight illegal
Chinese immigrants per day through the airport, and received
$1000-$2000 per migrant to ensure their departure from Ecuador to
Central America. The final destination for these illegal immigrants
was nearly always the U.S. ENP investigators attempted to make ENP
Commanding General Hurtado aware of the situation, but Embassy
officials were told that Hurtado was receiving gifts and cash
payments from Col. Andrade, and took no action.

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Cable/corrupcion/elpepuint/20110404elpepuint_16/Tes

[EFerrari]

29. LOL

If you want to back this individual who was found to be in possession of classified information without any explanation, you go for it.

The United States is finished manipulating the police force in Ecuador. It's over.

[rabs]

31. Yep, and not only the police ...

"The United States is finished manipulating the police force in Ecuador. It's over."

-----------------

Also the U.S. military, the DEA, the CIA ...

If there is a starting point, suppose it would be when Correa told the U.S. government to shut down operations at its base in Manta and to get the troops the hell out of Ecuador.

Things have not been rosy since.

[Peace Patriot]

30. You're saying she was right because, um, she says so? A Bush Junta appointee? nt

[rabs]

26. Hurtado speaks out, denies accusations

El Comercio file photo of Hurtado.


Former national police commander, in remarks to Ecuadoran TV station Teleamazonas, denied the accusations by U.S. ambassador.

He said the charges were "reckless, very grave and without foundation. I would like to ask where are those monies, from whom did I take them."

Hurtado is not facing any investigation in Ecuador. He said there probably are a lot of police who resented the institutional changes he made that were not convenient for them (implying that the U.S. Embassy got the information from those corrupt police).

------------

In Washington, hil's flack Mark Toner said the USG protested the decision to tell Hodges to get out and that "options" against Ecuador were being studied. (That will include preferential trade tax breaks for imports of Ecuadoran products.)

[Judi Lynn]

39. They just can't take a rebuke, can they? Such dirty, vicious players. n/t

[Zorro]

32. Governance by hissy fit

High level corruption in the police force is hardly surprising to any Ecuadorean.

It doesn't reflect well on Correa's astuteness if he wasn't aware of Vaca's reputation.

[Judi Lynn]

43. Obama kicked out the Ecuadorean ambassador -

Please see rabs' post on this event from today, Thursday, at:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x50537
Latin America forum.