Ecuador could suspend US accords

[Judi Lynn]

Ecuador could suspend US accords
The Associated Press
Sunday, April 20, 2008; 11:10 PM

QUITO, Ecuador -- Ecuador could suspend some military accords with the United States to block what it calls U.S. ideological influence in its armed forces, Defense Minister Javier Ponce said Sunday.

Ponce told the news program UNO that current agreements with the U.S. were signed under previous administrations "in the spirit of colonialism" and are under review. He did not give details or say which agreements could be suspended.

"The specter of (U.S.) training, financial support and technical support inevitably has permeated the structure and behavior" of Ecuador's security forces, creating "a national security problem," Ponce said.
(snip)

Correa also has said repeatedly that he will not renew the 10-year U.S. lease in Ecuador's Pacific port of Manta, which the United States uses for drug surveillance flights, when it expires in late 2009.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/20/AR2008042002455.html