Human Rights Watch

Type	Non-profit NGO
Founded	1978
Location	New York City, United States
Key people	Kenneth Roth (Executive Director) James F. Hoge, Jr. (Chairman)
Area served	Worldwide
Focus	Human rights activism
Formerly called	Helsinki Watch
Website	hrw.org

Current executive Director Kenneth Roth speaking at the 44th Munich Security Conference 2008

Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo, Toronto, and Washington.^[1]

The George Soros Open Society Foundation is the primary donor of the Human Rights Watch, contributing $100 Million of $128 Million of contributions and grants received by the HRW in the 2011 financial year.^[2]

History[link]

Human Rights Watch was founded as a private American NGO in 1978, under the name of Helsinki Watch, to monitor the former Soviet Union's compliance with the Helsinki Accords.^[3] Helsinki Watch adopted a methodology of publicly "naming and shaming" abusive governments through media coverage and through direct exchanges with policymakers. By shining the international spotlight on human rights violations in the Soviet Union and its European partners, Helsinki Watch contributed to the democratic transformations of the region in the late 1980s.^[3]

Americas Watch was founded in 1981 while bloody civil wars engulfed Central America. Relying on extensive on-the-ground fact-finding, Americas Watch not only addressed perceived abuses by government forces but also applied international humanitarian law to investigate and expose war crimes by rebel groups. In addition to raising its concerns in the affected countries, Americas Watch also examined the role played by foreign governments, particularly the United States government, in providing military and political support to abusive regimes.

Asia Watch (1985), Africa Watch (1988), and Middle East Watch (1989) were added to what was then known as "The Watch Committees." In 1988, all of the committees were united under one umbrella to form Human Rights Watch.

Profile[link]

Pursuant to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Human Rights Watch opposes violations of what it considers basic human rights, which include capital punishment and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Human Rights Watch advocates freedoms in connection with fundamental human rights, such as freedom of religion and the press.

Human Rights Watch produces research reports on violations of international human rights norms as set out by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and what it perceives to be other internationally accepted human rights norms. These reports are used as the basis for drawing international attention to abuses and pressuring governments and international organizations to reform. Researchers conduct fact-finding missions to investigate suspect situations and generate coverage in local and international media. Issues raised by Human Rights Watch in its reports include social and gender discrimination, torture, military use of children, political corruption, abuses in criminal justice systems, and the legalization of abortion.^[3] Human Rights Watch documents and reports violations of the laws of war and international humanitarian law.

Human Rights Watch also supports writers worldwide who are being persecuted for their work and are in need of financial assistance. The Hellman/Hammett grants are financed by the estate of the playwright Lillian Hellman in funds set up in her name and that of her long-time companion, the novelist Dashiell Hammett. In addition to providing financial assistance, the Hellman/Hammett grants help raise international awareness of activists who are being silenced for speaking out in defence of human rights.^[4]

Each year, Human Rights Watch presents the Human Rights Defenders Award to activists around the world who demonstrate leadership and courage in defending human rights. The award winners work closely with Human Rights Watch in investigating and exposing human rights abuses.^{[citation needed]}

Human Rights Watch was one of six international NGOs that founded the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers in 1998. It is also the co-chair of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, a global coalition of civil society groups that successfully lobbied to introduce the Ottawa Treaty, a treaty that prohibits the use of anti-personnel landmines.

Human Rights Watch is a founding member of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange, a global network of non-governmental organizations that monitor censorship worldwide. It also co-founded the Cluster Munition Coalition, which brought about an international convention banning the weapons. Human Rights Watch employs more than 275 staff—country experts, lawyers, journalists, and academics – and operates in more than 90 countries around the world.^[5]

The current executive director of Human Rights Watch is Kenneth Roth, who has held the position since 1993. Roth conducted investigations on abuses in Poland after martial law was declared 1981. He later focused on Haiti, which had just emerged from the Duvalier dictatorship but continued to be plagued with problems. Roth’s awareness of human rights began with stories that his father told about escaping Nazi Germany in 1938. He graduated from Yale Law School and Brown University.

Human Rights Watch has been deemed an accredited charity by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, a national charity monitoring organization that is associated with the Better Business Bureau system ^[6]. Charity Navigator, an organization that evaluates individual charity institutions and subsequently publishes reports detailing aspects such as income statements and organizational efficiency, gave Human Rights Watch a two out of four-star overall rating ^{[7][not in citation given]}.

Financing and services[link]

For the financial year ending June 2008, HRW reported receiving approximately US$44 million in public donations.^[8] In 2009, Human Rights Watch stated that they receive almost 75% of their financial support from North America, 25% from Western Europe and less than 1% from the rest of the world.^[9]

According to a 2008 financial assessment, HRW reports that it does not accept any direct or indirect funding from governments and is financed through contributions from private individuals and foundations.^[10] According to NGO Monitor this policy is violated by support from the Dutch government and a May 2009 fund raising trip to Saudi Arabia.^[11]

Notably, billionaire financier and philanthropist George Soros announced in 2010 his intention to donate US$100 million to HRW over a period of ten years. He said, "Human Rights Watch is one of the most effective organizations I support. Human rights underpin our greatest aspirations: they're at the heart of open societies."^[12][13] The donation increases Human Rights Watch's operating budget from $48 million to $80 million. The donation was the largest in the organization's history.^[14]

Charity Navigator gave Human Rights Watch a three-star rating.^[15] The Better Business Bureau said Human Rights Watch meets its standards for charity accountability.

Human Rights Watch published the following program and support services spending details for the financial year ending June 2008.

Notable staff[link]

Some notable current and former staff members of Human Rights Watch have included:^[16]

• Robert L. Bernstein, Founding Chair Emeritus
• James F. Hoge, Jr., Chairman of the Board
• Kenneth Roth, Executive Director
• Jan Egeland, Deputy Director and the Director of Human Rights Watch Europe
• Minky Worden, Media Director
• Jamie Fellner, Senior Counsel for the United States Program of Human Rights Watch
• Scott Long, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Director
• Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa Director
• Joe Stork
• Marc Garlasco, former staff member
• Sharon Hom
• Tae-Ung Baik, former research consultant

Issues and campaigns[link]

• Police brutality

Publications[link]

Human Rights Watch publishes reports on several topics^[17] and compiles annual reports, World Report, presenting an overview of the worldwide state of human rights.^[18] The next publication, World Report 2012, is being released in February 2012 by Seven Stories Press^[19] Human Rights Watch has published extensively on the subjects such as Rwandan Genocide of 1994^[20] and the conflicts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.^[21]

Comparison with Amnesty International[link]

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International are the only two Western-oriented international human rights organizations operating worldwide in most situations of severe oppression or abuse.^{[citation needed]} The major differences lie in the groups’ structure and methods for promoting change.

Amnesty International is a mass-membership organization. Mobilization of those members is the organization's central advocacy tool. Human Rights Watch's main products are its crisis-directed research and lengthy reports, whereas Amnesty lobbies and writes detailed reports, but also focuses on mass letter-writing campaigns, adopting individuals as "prisoners of conscience" and lobbying for their release. Human Rights Watch will openly lobby for specific actions for other governments to take against human rights offenders, including naming specific individuals for arrest, or for sanctions to be levied against certain countries, recently calling for punitive sanctions against the top leaders in Sudan who have overseen a killing campaign in Darfur. The group has also called for human rights activists who have been detained in Sudan to be released.^[22]

Its documentations of human rights abuses often include extensive analysis of the political and historical backgrounds of the conflicts concerned, some of which have been published in academic journals. AI's reports, on the other hand, tend to contain less analysis, and instead focus on specific abuses of rights.

In 2010 The Times of London wrote that HRW has "all but eclipsed" Amnesty International. According to The Times, instead of being supported by a mass membership, as AI is, HRW depends on wealthy donors who like to see the organization's reports make headlines. For this reason, according, HRW tends to "concentrate too much on places that the media already cares about," especially in disproportionate coverage of Israel.^{[23][dead link]}

Criticism[link]

HRW has been criticized by national governments, other NGOs, its founder and former Chairman Robert L. Bernstein, and the media. It has been accused by critics^[24] of being influenced by United States government policy,^[25] in particular in relation to reporting on Latin America;^{[26][27][28][29][30]} ignoring anti-Semitism in Europe or being anti-Semitic;^[31] biases in relation to the Arab–Israeli conflict; and unfair and biased reporting of human rights issues in Eritrea and Ethiopia.^[32][33][34] Accusations in relation to the Arab–Israeli conflict include claims that HRW is biased against Israel^[35][36][37] and that requesting or accepting donations from Saudi Arabian citizens causes it to be biased;^[38] it has also been accused of unbalanced reporting against Hezbollah in Lebanon^[39][40] and against Palestinian militant groups.^[41]

HRW has publicly responded to criticisms relating to its reporting on Latin America^[42][43][44] and in the context of the Arab–Israeli conflict.^{[37][45][46][47][48]}

World report 2012[link]

The Washington Post reports that Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said the report was "one-sided and deeply flawed." Iraqi government spokesman, Ali Hadi al-Moussawi said that it "relied on sources that are inaccurate, biased and not factual."^[49] Writing in China Daily, Shen Hui says that "the report seriously lacks in objectivity and impartiality."^[50] Robin Sheppard, writing in the Jewish Chronicle, says that western governments should not believe report's message that "much like the revolutions that upended Eastern Europe in 1989, the Arab upheavals were inspired by a vision of freedom, a desire for a voice in one's destiny, and a quest for governments that are accountable to the public rather than captured by a ruling elite." Sheppard continues and says that it is not a 'vision of freedom' and that referring to 1989 is "dangerously misleading."^[51] Sheppard, however, is offering his own commentary when he says that "hostility to Israel is deeply intertwined with the kind of vitriolic mass antisemitism".^[52]

Recent controversies[link]

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Criticism of Human Rights Watch. (Discuss) Proposed since February 2011.

Robert L. Bernstein, a founder and former chairman of HRW, argued in October 2009 that "Human Rights Watch has lost critical perspective" on events in the Middle East.^[53] Bernstein argued that "[t]he region is populated by authoritarian regimes with appalling human rights records. Yet in recent years Human Rights Watch has written far more condemnations of Israel for violations of international law than of any other country in the region."^[53] Tom Porteus, director of the London branch of Human Rights Watch, replied that the organization rejected Bernstein's "obvious double standard. Any credible human rights organisation must apply the same human rights standards to all countries."^[54]

Strong criticism against Human Rights Watch was caused by the Organization's declarations in favour of CIA illegal actions of Extraordinary rendition towards suspected terrorists.^[55]

Human Rights Watch made headlines in September 2009 when its Middle East military analyst, Marc Garlasco who led investigations into Israeli wars in Lebanon and Gaza, was found posing on the internet dressed in a sweat shirt with a German Iron Cross. After pressure from the media HRW suspended Marc with pay pending an investigation. Several media reports highlighted his interest in World War II artifacts^[56] and accused him of collecting Nazi memorabilia.^[57][58] Garlasco has said that the allegations of Nazi sympathies were "defamatory nonsense, spread maliciously by people with an interest in trying to undermine Human Rights Watch's reporting."^[56] HRW has said the charges leveled against Garlasco are "demonstrably false" and fit "into a campaign to deflect attention from Human Rights Watch's rigorous and detailed reporting on violations of international human rights and humanitarian law by the Israeli government".^[59]

In February 2011, HRW appointed Shawan Jabarin to their Mideast Advisory Board. Jabarin is a very controversial figure, labeled "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by the Israeli Supreme Court, for his dual roles in both the terrorist organization PFLP, and the human rights organization, Al Haq. HRW’s decision to include Jabarin on its Mideast Board sparked criticism from Robert L. Bernstein, a founder of HRW, Stuart Robinowitz, a prominent New York attorney who has undertaken human-rights missions for the American Bar Association and Helsinki Watch (the predecessor to HRW) in Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and El Salvador, and Prof. Gerald Steinberg, the president of the Jerusalem-based NGO Monitor.^[60]

In a Los Angeles Times op-ed, February 24, 2011, after the 2011 Libyan civil war intensified, Sarah Leah Whitson, head of the Middle East and North Africa division of HRW, acknowledged the absence of human rights reforms in Libya and said “With no progress on any institutional or legal reforms. For sure, most Libyans we spoke with never had much faith that [Muammar Gaddafi] would learn new tricks, or that the announced reforms were anything more than an endless loop of promises made and broken.”^[61] Jeffrey Goldberg, writing in the Atlantic Monthly, took Whitson to task for her having had "something of a soft spot" for Gaddafi and his son.^[62]

See also[link]

Human rights portal

• American Freedom Campaign
• Avocats Sans Frontières
• Democracy Watch (International)
• Freedom House
• Helsinki Committee for Human Rights
• Human Rights First
• International Freedom of Expression Exchange
• US Human Rights Network

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Human Rights Watch

• Human Rights Watch (official website)

Rafael Correa
President of Ecuador
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 January 2007
Vice President	Lenín Moreno
Preceded by	Alfredo Palacio
President pro tempore of the Union of South American Nations
In office 10 August 2009 – 26 November 2010
Preceded by	Michelle Bachelet
Succeeded by	Bharrat Jagdeo
Chairman of the PAIS Alliance
Incumbent
Assumed office 19 February 2006
Preceded by	Position established
Minister of Finance
In office 20 April 2005 – 8 August 2005
Preceded by	Mauricio Yepez
Succeeded by	Magdalena Barreiro
Personal details
Born	(1963-04-06) 6 April 1963 (age 49) Guayaquil, Ecuador
Nationality	Ecuadorian
Political party	PAIS Alliance
Spouse(s)	Anne Malherbe
Children	Sofía Anne Dominique Rafael Miguel
Residence	Carondelet Palace (Official) Quito (Private)
Alma mater	Catholic University of Guayaquil Catholic University of Louvain University of Illinois, Urbana–Champaign
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Website	Official website

Rafael Vicente Correa Delgado (6 April 1963)^[1] is the President of the Republic of Ecuador and was the president pro tempore of the Union of South American Nations. An economist educated in Ecuador, Belgium and the United States, he was elected President in late 2006 and took office in January 2007. In December 2008, he declared Ecuador's national debt illegitimate, based on the argument that it was odious debt contracted by corrupt and despotic prior regimes. He then pledged to fight creditors in international courts, and succeeded in reducing the price of the debt letters and continued paying all the debt.^[2] He brought Ecuador into the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas in June 2009. To date, Correa’s administration has succeeded in reducing the high levels of poverty, indigence, and unemployment in Ecuador.^[3][4]

Correa's first term in office had been due to end on 15 January 2011, but the new approved constitution written by the new National Assembly mandated general elections for 26 April 2009. In that election, Rafael Correa won in the first round with 51.9%^[5] of votes counted. It was the first time since 1979 in which a representative was elected without having to face a second round. Consequently, Correa began a new term in office due to end on 10 August 2013, which could be extended by reelection until 2017.^[6][7][8]

Correa's policies towards the media have been controversial. These have included lawsuits against journalists and media directors, government expropriation of private media outlets and promotion of new government-owned media. Critics charge Correa with running a campaign against the independence of the media.^[9][10][11] Among other actions, Correa brought a libel case against the newspaper El Universo and won damages of $40 million, confirmed by the National Court of Justice (Ecuador's highest court) as of February 16, 2012. The court also confirmed three-year prison sentences against a journalist and three executives of the newspaper.^[12] Following widespread condemnation of the sentences, Correa announced on 27 February 2012 that he would pardon the four individuals involved. He also said he would drop a separate case against two other journalists who produced a book purportedly exposing government contracts given to Correa's brother.^[13]

Background[link]

Early life[link]

A descendant of the Chilean politician Rafael Correa of Saa and Lazón and Delgado and Flaquito, Rafael Correa comes from a working class family in Guayaquil.^{[citation needed]} His father was Rafael Correa Icaza, born in the Province of Los Ríos, Ecuador, 23 March 1934 and deceased 10 June 1995; and his mother is Norma Delgado Rendón, born 1 September 1939.^[14] His parents had three more children: Fabricio Correa, Pierina Correa; Bernardita Correa(+).

When Rafael Correa was 25 years old, his father was caught smuggling drugs (cocaine) into the U.S. and was convicted and sentenced to 5 and half years in prison for his crime.^[15] Rafael had a troubled and difficult childhood - his father ended up committing suicide and the family struggled to make ends meet.^[16] Correa has publicly acknowledged this incident, he said: "...drug smugglers are not delinquents. They are single mothers or unemployed people who are desperate to feed their families". He even has plans to implement reforms to the laws that govern these type of crimes ("Ley de Control de Tráfico de Estupefacientes"). to allow some leniency for cocaine (or other drugs) smugglers. His antipathy towards the US government is in part due to this sad event in Correa's life.^[17][18]

He is married to Anne Malherbe, a teacher of Belgian nationality born in 1969, whom he met in 1990 at the Catholic University of Louvain. The couple have three children: Sofía, Anne Dominique and Miguel.^[19]

He carried out his primary and secondary studies in the Catholic school San José-La Salle, in Guayaquil.^[20] During his youth he was part and directed groups of Scouts of the Association of Scouts of Ecuador, as well as a troop of the Group 14 San José-La Salle, and afterwards, Group 17 Christopher Columbus that also helped to create.^[20]

During his secondary studies he was President of the Lasallian Student Cultural Association ("ACEL" in Spanish). Afterwards and based on his academic achievements, he obtained a scholarship to study at the Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil (UCSG in Spanish), a private higher education institution in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where he obtained an undergraduate degree in economics in 1987.^[21]

When attending UCSG, he was elected President of the Association of Students of Economy, Audit and Administration (AEAA) and, later on, President of the Federation of Students (FEUC) of the same education center, a position which in 1986 allowed him to preside over the Private Universities Students Federation of Ecuador (FEUPE in Spanish).^[21]

In 1993 he was a director at the Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC) in Ecuador, with administrative oversight supervising improvement programs of the national educational system. The improvement programs were funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Career 1987–2001[link]

Following the conclusion of his studies at UCSG, he worked for one year in a mission at a kindergarten run by the Salesian order in Zumbahua, Cotopaxi Province, where Correa provided support to increase literacy of the indigenous population, as well as support for microenterprise development. During his work at Zumbabua he acquired a basic knowledge of Quechua, which is spoken by the majority of the indigenous population living in the Ecuadorean Andes.^[22] In addition to Spanish and Quechua, he speaks French and English.^[23]-

In June 1991, he received a Master of Arts in Economics from the Université Catholique de Louvain in Belgium. He later studied at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he earned a Master of Science in Economics in May 1999, and later a PhD in Economics in October 2001. According to The Washington Post, Correa's adviser at the University of Illinois, Werner Baer, supports his former student. "He appreciates the market to a certain point, but he knows that the market left alone concentrates wealth", he said. "He is not going to do anything foolish... because he is a fairly open-minded person."^{[24][dead link]}

In his doctoral dissertation, titled "Three Essays on Contemporaneous Latin American Development", Correa affirmed essentially that the structural reforms instituted in Latin America beginning in the 1980s, failed as driver for growth in the region. By means of econometric analysis, Correa argued that the reforms did not spur growth and also that the liberalization of the labor markets reduced the productivity of Latin American countries.^[25]

Minister of Finance 2005[link]

In 2005, Correa served as economy and finance minister under Alfredo Palacio. During his four months in office, he advocated poverty reduction and economic sovereignty. Correa was skeptical of a free-trade deal with the United States, did not take advice from the International Monetary Fund, and worked to increase Ecuador's cooperation with other Latin American countries. After the World Bank withheld a loan (citing changes to the oil income stabilization fund), Correa resigned from Palacio's government. Correa had also proposed the issuance of government bonds at a lower interest rate than the 8.5% prevailing one at that time one. Venezuela's government was to purchase half of the new bond issue. Correa claimed in his resignation letter that the sale was done with full presidential authorization, but cited lack of support from the president as a factor in his decision to resign.^[26]

When Correa resigned as minister, polls showed he had the highest credibility of any official in the administration at the time, with 57% of Ecuadorians saying that they trusted him.^[27]

2006 Presidential campaign[link]

Preparations[link]

At the start of 2006 Presidential campaign, Rafael Correa founded the Alianza PAIS—Patria Altiva y Soberana ("Proud and Sovereign Fatherland Alliance"). The movement espouses political sovereignty, regional integration, and economic relief for Ecuador's poor. Correa, an actively observant Roman Catholic, describes himself as a humanist, a Christian leftist, and a proponent of 21st century socialism.^[28]

During the campaign, Correa proposed a constituent assembly to rewrite Ecuador's constitution.^[29] Alianza PAIS did not run any congressional candidates, as Correa had stated that he would call for a referendum to begin drafting a new constitution. However, the Alianza PAIS movement signed a political alliance with the Ecuadorian Socialist Party, which did present candidates for Congress.^[30] Alliance PAIS also signature 31 July the 2006 a Programmatic Political Agreement with the Communist Party of Ecuador when Correa was postulated for candidate for president.^[31]

Other parties that united to Alliance PAIS in the second electoral turn other parties as: Democratic People's Movement,^[32] Democratic Left,^[33] Pachakutik,^[34] and the Partido Roldista Ecuatoriano.^[35]

Petroleum policy[link]

On economic policy, Correa called for reform of the petroleum industry, including an increase in the percentage of petroleum revenues spent on social programs for the Ecuadorian poor, following the reforms of the Hydrocarbons Law promoted by former Economy and Finance Minister Diego Borja. He accused foreign petroleum companies operating in Ecuador of failing to meet existing environmental and investment regulations. In an interview, Correa stated:

Many of the oil contracts are a true entrapment for the country. Of every five barrels of oil that the multinationals produce, they leave only one for the state and take four... That is absolutely unacceptable. We're going to revise and renegotiate the contracts."^[36]

Finances and debts[link]

He advocated reform of the financial sector, including limiting offshore deposits by local banks to no more than 10% of their holdings.

Correa also proposed strategies for reducing the burden of Ecuador's foreign debt service through compulsory debt restructuring. He indicated that his top priority would be spending on social programs rather than servicing Ecuador's debt.^[37]

Correa criticized the neoliberal policies of Jamil Mahuad to adopt the US dollar as the country's official currency while later acknowledging that it would not now be feasible to abandon that policy.

Commerce and foreign policies[link]

Correa also criticized Ecuador's draft free trade agreement as currently negotiated with the US,^[38] although he does advocate expanding trade and opening markets with other countries, urging in particular the integration of South American economies.^[39]

On foreign policy, Correa commented on Ecuador's relations with its neighbor Colombia. Correa stressed Ecuador's interest in staying uninvolved in internal conflict in Colombia.^[40] In October 2006, Correa added that he would "pursue and capture" FARC members if they enter Ecuador. He also declared that he condemns their kidnappings, violations of human rights and bombings.^[41] Later, during his presidency National Police of Colombia accused Correa of having ties to the FARC. Correa denied the accusations. See section Presidency.

In August 2006, Correa told the Ecuadorian press that he is not part of the Venezuelan Bolivarian movement, although he considers Hugo Chávez a personal friend.

In response to Chávez's comparison of George W. Bush with Satan, Correa said it was unfair to the devil.^[42]

Indigenous votes[link]

In addition to his platform on economic and social policy, Correa's ability to communicate with a large majority of Ecuador's indigenous population in their own language also differentiated him from other candidates. He learned Quichua in his youth during a year he spent volunteering in a remote highland town.^[43] However, in the 15 October election, a large percentage of the votes in areas with high concentration of indigenous people went to candidate Gilmar Gutiérrez, brother of Lucio Gutiérrez, although Correa generally ran second in these areas.^[44]

Result[link]

In the 15 October 2006 general election Correa obtained second place (22.84%) behind banana tycoon Álvaro Noboa (26.83%). Correa won the subsequent 26 November 2006 runoff election with 56.67% of the vote.^[45] He took office on 15 January 2007.

Presidency 2007–2009[link]

Ecuador

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Ecuador

Constitution (history) President Rafael Correa Vice President Lenín Moreno National Assembly Political parties Constitutional Tribunal Elections: 2006, 2007, 2009 Provinces Cantons Parishes Foreign relations

Other countries · Atlas Politics portal view talk edit

Rafael Correa during his inaugural speech as president of Ecuador

Rafael Correa was officially declared President of Ecuador on 4 December 2006 by the country's electoral court. He was sworn in on 15 January 2007 as the 56th president of Ecuador, the seventh to occupy the post since the legislature removed president Abdalá Bucaram 10 years earlier in the midst of a debt crisis that devastated the country. His inauguration was attended by most regional leaders, as well as the Iranian president and Spanish Crown Prince.^[46]

Correa promised to get rid of the traditionally corrupt political class.^[47][48][49]

Economic policy[link]

Socialism will continue. The Ecuadorian people voted for that. We are going to emphasize this fight for social justice, for regional justice. We are going to continue the fight to eliminate all forms of workplace exploitation within our socialist conviction: the supremacy of human work over capital. Nobody is in any doubt that our preferential option is for the poorest people, we are here because of them. Hasta la victoria siempre! (Until the eternal victory)

— Rafael Correa, April 30, 2009^[50]

Correa's administration has suggested that the new government will not sign an agreement allowing the International Monetary Fund to monitor its economic plan. In February 2007, Correa's economy minister Ricardo Patiño stated: "I have no intention ... of accepting what some governments in the past have accepted: that (the IMF) tell us what to do on economic policy." "That seems unacceptable to us," Patiño added. However, as a member of the IMF, the annual report known as the "Article IV" report will be undertaken.^[51]

Market manipulation[link]

In May 2007, evidence surfaced that some of the Ecuadorian government rhetoric might have been part of an alleged market manipulation to benefit Ecuador from movements in the price of financial instruments linked to Ecuadorian Bonds.^[52] A fall in Ecuador bond prices, ignited by aggressive default rhetoric, would trigger a buyback by Ecuador, financed by Venezuelan banks. This strategy collapsed due to operations engaged by Venezuelan financial institutions who profited from the market swings. Correa referred to the allegations as a conspiracy from a powerful banker.^[53][54][55] On 26 July 2007, Rafael Correa replaced finance minister Patiño, due to Patiño's appearance in a video recording, apparently discussing the market manipulation. Patiño then assumed a newly created position responsible for the Pacific coast region and later assumed the Politics Affairs Ministry.^[56] In a radio address on 13 December, Correa said that he wanted to force a “big discount” on creditors, whom a day earlier he called “true monsters who won’t hesitate to crush the country”.^[57] "I have lost sleep over this ... this will cost us tears and sweat but I think we are doing the right thing."^[58] Correa, who endorses anti-debt NGO Jubilee 2000's slogan "life before debt", is popular among Ecuadorians for his stance against foreign investors.^[58]

Dollarisation[link]

Correa has criticised the neoliberal policies of previous presidents, particularly former president Mahuad's adoption of the U.S. dollar as Ecuador's domestic currency in 2000. Correa has characterized dollarization as a "technical error" which has effectively eliminated Ecuador's ability to set its own monetary and exchange policy. However, Correa has also acknowledged that it would be politically impossible to abandon that policy now. After his election victory of 15 April 2007, he pledged to maintain dollarization during the four years of his administration, though he also indicated his support for the idea of replacing the dollar with a regional South American currency at some point in the future.^[59]

Bond repurchase[link]

On 16 April 2009, Finance Minister Maria Elsa Viteri embarked on a trip to Europe in a mission to present Ecuador's offer to buy back global bonds 2012 and 2030 at 30% of their current value. In May 2009, Ecuador announced that it had successfully bought 91% of the bonds at a cost of 35 cents on the dollar.^[60]

Concessions of mobile telephony[link]

In May of the 2008, under direct administration of Rafael Correa, it was possible to re-negotiate the concessions of radio spectrum of cellular operators Porta and Movistar for a total amount of 700 million dollars, a higher sum than the established one on studies carried out in previous governments, in which it was recommended to give the same concessions for 70 million dollars.^[61]

Foreign policy[link]

Presidents of South American countries meet in Rio de Janeiro. From left to right: Rafael Correa (Ecuador), Evo Morales (Bolivia), Luís Inácio Lula da Silva (Brazil), Michelle Bachelet (Chile), Hugo Chávez (Venezuela) and Nicanor Duarte (Paraguay)

During Rafael Correa's tenure as presidency he took some radical alternative steps to change the course of Ecuador's relations with the rest of the world. Amongst these were economic moves to correct Ecuador's debt imbalance, a distancing from the United States, a rift with its northern neighbour Colombia, and a strengthening of ties with ALBA (including Venezuela and Bolivia), as well as Iran.

Rafael Correa with Dmitry Medvedev

Tension with Colombia[link]

On 1 March 2008 at 00:25 local time (05:25 UTC), Colombia launched this military operation, 1.8 kilometers (1.1 mi) into Ecuador.^[62][63][64] According to Colombian authorities, the guerrillas responded militarily to this initial bombardment from a position in the vicinity of Santa Rosa de Yanamaru, on the Ecuadorian side of the border, killing a Colombian soldier, Carlos Hernández. A second bombardment was then carried out, resulting in the deaths of Raúl Reyes and at least 20 more FARC members.^[65] Two bodies, several documents and three laptops found in the guerrilla camp were returned to Colombia.^[62][66] This was the first time the Colombian military had killed a member of FARC's leadership council in combat.^[67] After this operation, the Colombian authorities increased its security measures nationwide, fearing FARC retaliation.^[68]

According to the Ecuadorian government, the attack happened 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) inside its own territory, lacked its permission and was a planned strike, intended to be followed by the incursion of Colombian troops by helicopter. It pointed out that the attack had left a total of more than 20 people dead in Ecuadorian territory, many of whom were found to be wearing underwear or sleeping clothes.^[69][70] The government of Ecuador concluded that the attack was a "massacre" and not the result of combat or "hot pursuit". Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa had reason to believe that the Colombian warplanes had penetrated 10 km into Ecuador's territory and struck the guerrilla camp while flying north, followed by troops in helicopters who had completed the killings. He claimed that some of the bodies had been found to be shot from behind.^[70]

The Ecuadorian authorities found three wounded women in the camp, including a Mexican student who was identified as Lucía Andrea Morett Álvarez.^[71][72] Lucía Morett claimed that she was visiting the guerrilla group as part of an academic investigation, refusing to answer other questions about the circumstances surrounding her presence there.^[73] Regarding the attack on the camp, she has stated: "I was asleep when we received a first aerial attack. Two or three hours later we were attacked again".^[73] Ecuador said that it was cooperating with Mexico to investigate whether any Mexicans had been killed during the raid.^[74] According to the director of the Ecuadorian military hospital which treated the three women, they had received some sort of medical attention from both the attacking Colombian forces and the Ecuadorian soldiers who later found them.^[75]

President Uribe of Colombia spoke by telephone with his Ecuadorian counterpart, Rafael Correa, early on the morning of the raid, to inform him of the incident.^[76] In a press conference that evening, Correa denounced the attack as "aggression" against Ecuador, calling it a "massacre," and claiming that the rebels had been killed in their sleep using "advanced technology". He announced that he was summoning his ambassador in Colombia for consultations.^[76] On Sunday, 2 March, Correa said that a diplomatic note would be sent in protest at the incursion,^[77] claiming that the action had been a violation of Ecuador's airspace.^[78] Ecuador formally recalled its ambassador from Colombia and expelled the Colombian ambassador from Quito.^[76]

Correa withdrew his government's ambassador in Bogotá, Colombia, and ordered troops to the country's border following the 2008 Andean diplomatic crisis in early March 2008.^[79] On 3 March 2008, Colombia's police said that documents found in a camp in Ecuador where Colombian troops killed Raul Reyes, a top guerrilla boss, showed ties between the FARC rebels and Correa, including contacts about political proposals and local military commanders.^[80] Correa denied the accusations, calling them lies.^[81] Correa also said that a deal to release political prisoners – including former Colombian Sen. Ingrid Betancourt – was nearly complete before the 1 March 2008 Colombian raid into his country.^[82] On 5 March 2008, Correa and Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez met to discuss Colombia's attack and made a series of accusations against Colombia's government.^[83] During the meeting, Correa dismissed Colombia's president Álvaro Uribe as just a "puppet" while others are the "puppet masters".^[84] On 18 May 2011, Colombia's Supreme Court ruled documents found on computers of slain FARC commander "Raul Reyes" are inadmissible as evidence in court as the material is illegally obtained and provides no evidence.^[85]

At a Rio Group summit held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on 7 March 2008, after a heated exchange of accusations between Correa and Uribe, the diplomatic crisis was temporarily resolved with Colombia's apologies for the attack and reassurances that it won't be repeated. Correa said that with this resolution Latin America was starting a new era where international principles of justice will have preeminence over power.^[86]

Relations with United States[link]

Correa has not renewed United States Southern Command's lease of Eloy Alfaro Air Base in Manta, ending U.S. occupancy of this military base in September 2009.^[87]

Relations with Venezuela[link]

Presidents of Paraguay, Fernando Lugo,of Bolívia, Evo Morales, of Brasil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, and Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, in Fórum Social Mundial for Latin America

In June 2009, Correa joined the Chavez-backed Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), together with Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia and other countries.^[88]

2008 Constitution[link]

Conflicts with Congress[link]

In February 2007, Correa's plan to have a referendum on the convening of a constituent assembly was approved by Congress. The referendum took place on 15 April 2007. However, after this date was set, the "statutes" for the referendum were modified by Correa to allow more powers to the constituent assembly.,^[89][90] One of these powers was the ability to dismiss Congress, a power which Congress never approved. The newer version of the referendum was approved by the majority of the seven-seat Electoral Tribunal. In early March, Congress, which was controlled by Correa's opposition, reacted by trying to impeach the President of the electoral tribunal.^[91] The electoral tribunal then removed from office the 57 members of Congress who tried to impeach the President of the Electoral Tribunal, on the grounds of attempting to intervene an electoral process. Correa backed the electoral tribunal (which approved his version of the referendum) while stating that the removal of the 57 congressmen was constitutional. The situation escalated to a feud between the opposition in Congress and the Executive and marches in the street against Congress and police intervention to prevent the Congressmen from entering the legislative building.^[92][93]

On 22 March, 21 alternate deputies were sworn in, allowing the Congress to regain quorum, and on 23 and 24 March a further 20 deputies were sworn in. The new majority (formed by 28 alternate deputies and 31 deputies from parties that support the referendum and Assembly) pledged to support the referendum on the Constitutional Assembly.^[94] On 23 April, the Constitutional Tribunal decided to try to reinstate 51 of the 57 Congressmen who had been fired by the Electoral Tribunal. The Constitutional Tribunal claimed that it was illegal to remove them in the first place, and approved a petition by the 51 requesting their reinstatement.^[95] But before the congressmen had the chance to reenter Congress, Congress voted to fire all nine judges of the Constitutional Tribunal for their "unconstitutional actions".^[96]

Constituent referendum[link]

On 15 April, Ecuadoreans voted overwhelmingly (81.72% in favor) to support the election of a constituent assembly.^[97]

Assembly election[link]

On 30 September 2007, due to the extraordinarly large number of candidates and lists (26 national lists, 428 provincial lists, 44 emigrant lists) the Ecuadorian Constituent Assembly election, 2007 was the most complex in Ecuador's history.^[98] As a result in the national election, President Correa won backing for his plans to rewrite Ecuador's constitution and expand state control of the nation's economy. Correa's faction won approximately 61% of the seats in the National Assembly (80 of 130 Assembly Members).^[99]

Constituent Assembly[link]

The Ecuadorian Constituent Assembly first convened on 29 November 2007 in Montecristi, and was given six months to write a new constitution, with a possible two-month extension. In June 2008, the president of the CA, Alberto Acosta, resigned due to his opposition to speeding up the debate on the remaining articles to meet the deadline of 26 July 2008. He was replaced by Fernando Cordero Cueva on 24 June 2008.^[100] When Ecuador began the process of writing a new constitution, they received help from the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund to draft environmental laws giving nature and ecosystems rights.^{[101] [102][103] [104]}

In late July, 2008, the assembly approved a draft constitution with 494 articles.^[105]

Constitutional referendum[link]

A constitutional referendum was held in Ecuador on 28 September 2008 to ratify or reject the constitution drafted by the Ecuadorian Constituent Assembly elected in 2007.^[106] Partial results show that 64% of voters voted to approve the 2008 Constitution of Ecuador.^[107]

Relationship with the media[link]

The President steps into a helicopter

Correa, paraphrasing Tony Blair, stated that the Ecuadorian press acted as "a group of wild beasts". He has also regularly criticized it as "...mediocre, incompetent, inaccurate, lying and is a part of the structure of corruption and accomplice of the national disaster."^{[108][109][110]}

Correa has criticized to several newspapers as El Universo, El Comercio, Diario Hoy, Diario Expreso, La Hora, it qualified them of "informative mafias", for their criticism the decision of the TSE that deprived 57 legislators of the opposition. Correa argued that the press has remained silent before the holdups that have happened in government enterprises like Pacifictel, and the Corporation Ecuadorian Aduanera (CAE).^{[111][112][113]}

On 19 May, during the Enlace Ciudadano called by Correa to talk about freedom of speech, he ordered that security eject the opinion editor of the Guayaquil-based El Universo newspaper, whom he had invited to the event after ten minutes of dialogue. Correa ordered him to be ejected because the editor began insulting Correa's personal life.^[114] Video

Correa declared that he would not hesitate to revoke the license of "coup instigating" media stations following the example of Hugo Chavez when he took RCTV off the air.^[115]

[edit] Lawsuit against the La Hora newspaper

On 10 May 2007, Correa filed a lawsuit against Francisco Vivanco Riofrío of the board of directors of the Quito-based La Hora newspaper, over an editorial published in the paper on 9 March. The editorial, titled “Official Vandalism,” said that Correa intended to rule Ecuador “with turmoil, rocks and sticks”. It described the president’s behavior as “shameful.”^[116]

Correa's suit is based on Article 230 of the country’s penal code that sets prison penalties of up to two years for contempt, expressed in “threats or libel that would offend the president.”^[117]

Francisco Vivanco Riofrío has declared that he will not apologize for the editorial and that he is prepared to face the lawsuit. He has also declared that "that editorial reflects our thoughts and we will defend not only our right to manifest our opinions but also the opinions of all citizens, as we have done during the 25 years of our newspaper's existence.”^[118]

Reactions to the lawsuit[link]

In connection with Correa's complaint against La Hora, the Ecuadorian Association of Newspaper Publishers (AEDEP), has shown its support for that newspaper and declared that "no contemporary Ecuadorian politician has employed such legal figure (contempt) as an instrument to frighten the press."^[119] Counter media has pointed that Politicians, Leon Febres Cordero, and Jaime Nebot suppressed numerous medias in the 90's, however this was never denounced by El Universo, as an act against freedom of speech.

The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) has declared that it is "a clumsy step on the part of the Ecuadorean president to file a criminal charge against a news outlet, accusing it of contempt, an archaic concept in a modern democracy and outmoded in Latin America and which should be eliminated from penal codes, as the IAPA has been insisting."^[10] The Committee to Protect Journalists has also protested against the lawsuit: “Fear of criminal penalties will inhibit the Ecuadoran press in reporting and commenting on issues of public interest. We call on President Correa to drop the libel suit against Vivanco and repeal defamation laws that contradict international standards on freedom of expression.”^[120] The World Press Freedom Committee has declared that "it is clear that this attempt to silence the Ecuadorian press goes against very basic freedom of the press tenets, as consecrated in at least two of the most important international human right charts."^[11]

Expropriation of Gamavision and TC television channels[link]

Correa has constantly denounced what he views as the political activism of the major Ecuadorian television channels. He has also denounced the fact that they are owned by business groups who own banks related to the financial crisis of 1999, where millions of state dollars were given to rescue them while these left thousands of people without their life savings. In mid 2008, the Correa government expropriated Gamavision and TC television channels along with another hundred firms, because they were property of the Isaias. This group owned Filanbanco, a bank involved in the crisis of 1999. Currently these channels are owned by the state and have been defined as assets before calling an auction to sell them. Correa hopes that the stations' own workers gather together to buy each channel.^{[citation needed]}

Public Media[link]

Correa decided to create Ecuador TV, the first state-owned channel in the country, with the announced intention of producing television with better quality standards than the private channels. Also newspaper El Telegrafo became state owned). They were also created: Radio Pública, El Ciudadano, ANDES and PP,which are administered by state instances.^[121][122]

Environmental conservation[link]

This section needs attention from an expert on the subject. The following WikiProjects or Portals may be able to help recruit one: • WikiProject Biography • WikiProject Ecuador If another appropriate WikiProject or portal exists, please adjust this template accordingly. (May 2009)

The President has affirmed that his is a "green" Government for its defense of the environment."^[123] In this line, he has decided to return to the Commission International Whaler to impede the reboot in the hunt of these mammals;^[124] it has established a prohibition to the extraction of beautiful wood;^[125] and he has announced that for a compensation of 350 millions of annual dollars of the international community it would give up the exploitation of an oil field with around 1000 million barrels, one of their biggest reservations of petroleum,^[126][127] located in a reservation of the well-known biosphere as the National Park Yasuní,^[128] in the Amazon Basin. The proposal hopes to collect contributions starting from 2010.

Correa announced that it will allow the export of shark fins, in case the sharks are captured accidentally. Several organizations environmentalists, as a sector of Ecological Action, Black Shepherd and Global Activism criticized this decision strongly.

Yasuní-ITT Initiative[link]

Yasuní-ITT Initiative, The aim of the initiative is to provide a creative solution for the threat posed by the extraction of crude oil in the Ishpingo-Tiputini-Tambococha (ITT) oil fields, which are located in the highly vulnerable area of Yasuní National Park. The proposal would contribute to preserving biodiversity, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and their way of life.^{[citation needed]}

President Correa has stated that Ecuador’s first option is to maintain the crude oil in the subsoil. The national and international communities would be called on to help the government implement this costly decision for the country. The government hopes to recover 50% of the revenues it would obtain by extracting the oil. The procedure involves the issuing of government bonds for the crude oil that will remain “in situ,” with the double commitment of never extracting this oil and of protecting Yasuní National Park. If Ecuador succeeds in receiving the hoped for-amount – estimated at 350 million dollars annually – it would only be for a period of ten years beginning after the sixth year, since production, and thus potential revenues, would progressively decline after those ten years.^{[citation needed]}

A more promising alternative^{[original research?][not in citation given]} would be a strategy to provide the government with the 50% of resources in such a way as to provide a consistent income for an indefinite period of time. This resource would be channeled towards activities that help to free the country from its dependency on exports and imports and to consolidate food sovereignty.^[129]

Sea Conservation[link]

Correa overturned a ban on the sale of shark fins, which are popular in Asia, but stipulated that the fins can only be sold if the sharks are caught accidentally and by artisan fishermen. He did not say how authorities would determine whether the shark had been caught accidentally or deliberately.^[130]

On 3 August 2007, Correa ordered the deportation of Sean O'Hearn-Gimenez, director of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, saying that he would not allow "gringuitos" (literally, "little gringos") to tell Ecuadorians what to do or to pursue local fishermen. However, a local newspaper noted that O'Hearn-Gimenez had signed a 5-year agreement with Ecuador's own Environmental Police rather than acting unilaterally (as a foreigner with no authority of his own), and was married to an Ecuadorian.^[131] The deportation was ordered because Sea Shepherd, in partnership with the Ecuadorian National Environmental Police, exposed and stopped the biggest shark-fin shipment in the port city of Manta.^[132] Correa later rescinded the extradition order because O'Hearn-Gimenez was married to an Ecuadorian woman. All the arrested fishermen were released, too, and the confiscated shark fins returned to them.^[133]

Other policies[link]

Reformations of Ministries[link]

Correa's administration began 15 January 2007 with the execution through its first two ordinances of two of its campaign proposals: the convocation of a popular consultation so that the citizenship decided if wanted a Constituent National Assembly, and the reduction halfway the wages of the high positions of the Estado,19 beginning with the retribution of the own President that was diminished to 4.250 monthly dollars (25 minimum living wages). At the moment officials of the judicature wages have been awarded for on the 5.000 dollars.

The President also looked for the gender balance and its Executive had to the beginning of his administration 40% of the wallets occupied by women. Likewise, it prohibited their minister and other public employees to receive gifts and agasajos20 for their work. Nevertheless, the candidates of the Alianza PAIS to the Constituent Assembly have participated in official events, such as the inauguration of the hydroelectric power station San Francisco (Alberto Acosta), and the beginning of the construction of the headquarters for the Constituent Assembly (Trajano Andrade), both when they carried out the positions of Secretaries of Energy, Transport and Public Works respectively, previous to the convocation to elections.^[134]

Social Investment[link]

According to the Office of Press of the Presidency, the Government's realizations in the first weeks of activity were the increment in a 15%44 of the social investment of the State,^[135] the committed duplication of the Voucher of Human Development,^[136] dedicated to help to the families with less economic resources and in situation of poverty; as well as an increment of 100% in the voucher of the housing to facilitate the construction,^[137] buys and rehabilitation of the housings of people more desfavorecidas. You has also begun to distribute medications in a gratuitous way.^[138]

Energy politics[link]

Their government has put special emphasis in developing the energy system. During their period, the construction of the Hydroelectric of Mazar culminated that takes advantage of the flow of the river it Averages that you dilute up it is used in it dams it well known as Amaluza. it was also awarded the construction of the project Coca Codo Sinclair, the most ambitious hydroelectric project in the history of the Ecuador. Is also projected the construction of it dams it of the rivers Toachi and Pilatón. During November 2009, Ecuador should ration energy, in view of a deficit that was overcome after the installation of thermal generators. Is projected the growth of the capacity of generation of the Ecuador, country that he/she will stop to depend on the energy that Colombia or Peru consent to sell him.

States of Emergency[link]

Correa declared in emergency situation and it dedicated extraordinary economic resources to diverse sectors, among them the justice system^[139] – that suffers from overcrowding, with 16,000 prisoners when its real capacity is only 8,000 -; for the counties affected by the eruption of the volcano Tungurahua;^[140] for the Police Nacional;^[141] for the educación;^[141] for the system of health pública;^[142] for the sector ferroviario;^[143] for the reconstruction vial;^[144] for the agricultura;^[145] and to stop the environmental deterioration of the archipelago of Galápagos;^[146] among others.Correa ordered him not to be used companies of labor intermediation that exploit the workers.^[147]

Security and Defense[link]

One of the most serious problems that Correa's Government has faced has been the inability to lower the criminal indexes significantly. To this end, the police were equipped with weapons, and a weapons control plan was instituted.^[148]

In June and July 2007 in several communities of the Amazonía and domestic South, protests were carried out against oil and mining concessions to transnational companies (PetroChina, PetroBras and mining Canadian). According to some media, the Government repressed abusing from the force to these mobilizations.^[149]

Correa proposed the Plan Ecuador, which according to him emphasizes development, justice and peace to the militarism proposed by the Plan Colombia, financed by the United States.^[150]

Presidency 2009–present[link]

Rafael Correa was re-elected for a second term in general election in 26 April 2009. It was the first time in thirty years that the country had re-elected a president.^[151] He won by a large margin over the other seven candidates, taking 52 per cent of the vote to the 28 per cent of Lucio Gutiérrez, his nearest rival. His party also won the largest legislative block in the National Assembly, although not a majority.^[2]

Correa was sworn into the Presidency on 10 August 2009, the same day as Ecuador's bicentennial.^[152][153] His speech took place in front of several South American dignitaries, such as the president of Argentina Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Bolivian President Evo Morales, Cuban President Raúl Castro, and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.^[152] Correa used the opportunity to promise a continuation of his “socialist revolution”, his plans to end poverty and to go on “stamping out the structural causes of poverty”.^[152] He also said the actions of the media were opposing his government.^[153] He claims that the continuation of his "Revolución Ciudadana" policy is intended to ensure all citizens are equal.^[151]

Closure of Teleamazonas[link]

In June 2009, CONARTEL (a radio and television regulating body) imposed fines on a remaining independent television station, Teleamazonas, for transmitting bull-fights and "The Simpsons" during prime time. A third fine could lead to a temporary or permanent ban on this private television channel. In December 2009, the station was taken off the air by the Superintendent of Telecommunications [es], under a provisional suspension of 72 hours.^[154]

Mining protests[link]

In January, Ecuador was shaken by mass protests against large-scale mining. Indigenous people were demanding that they not be exploited at all and were blockading highways to make their point. President Rafael Correa responded by calling the protesters “nobodies” and “extremists.” The government detained a number of protest leaders, charging some of them with terrorism. One leader in the Amazon was briefly disappeared only to show up in a hospital in the Amazonian city of Macas with a gunshot wound to the head. Police officers were also injured in attempting to clear blockades.^[155] In an interview with the state-run media on Thursday, Correa said that the police were not armed and had only riot gear to protect them from demonstrators who were wielding shotguns. The Shuar man that died was killed by protesters' own weapons, Correa said.^[156]

In 2012, Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador called for a cross-country march to culminate in Quito on 22 March in protest against mining concessions amid concerns of environmental degradation. Correa condemned the action and said it would fail.

Hydrocarbon production reforms[link]

Correa announced that on Monday 26 July 2010 Ecuador will enact reforms to a hydrocarbons law that aims to expropriate foreign company operations unless they sign service contracts increasing state control of the industry. Correa reminded oil companies that if they don't abide by the state's policies, they will have their fields nationalized and will be forced from the country.^[157]

Law of Superior education[link]

A debate to modify this and other reforms, specially the one which granted control of the Higher Education System by the government, was practically passed with consensus by the multi-partisan National Assembly on 4 August 2010 but vetoed by the president Rafael Correa,^[158] who wanted to keep the law strictly as it was originally redacted by his political party and SENPLADES (National Secretary of Panning and Development). Due to this change, there are many highly educated professionals and academicians under the old structure but estimated that only 87% of the faculty in public universities have already obtained a master's degree and fewer than 5% have PhD (although many of them have already Ecuadorian granted Doctorate degrees).^[159]

2010 Ecuador crisis[link]

On 30 September 2010, the National Police went on strike over the passage of a bill that would end the practice of giving medals and bonuses with each promotion.^[160] In what was called an attempted coup d'état, protests included road blockades, storming the National Assembly and state-run television station, and the military seizure of the Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito.^{[161][162][163][164]} President Correa went to debate with the rebellious police, but he was unsuccessful and instead challenged them to kill him, saying, "I'm not taking one step back. Gentleman, if you want to kill the president, here he is, kill him if you have the guts."^[160] The police responded by attacking him and taking him hostage. While held in the hospital inside the police headquarters, Correa declared a national state of emergency.^[160][165] That night, an elite army unit rescued him from the hospital amid violent clashes between the police and the army.^[166] The Army then took him to Carondelet Palace, where he announced he would not pardon those responsible.^[167][168] Throughout Ecuador, eight people were killed and 274 wounded in the unrest.^[169]

After the rescue, Correa immediately was presented in the Palacio of Carondelet in the night of 30 September.

On the same night, eight South American Presidents attended an emergency summit of UNASUR convened that night in Buenos Aires^[170] to express their full support for Ecuadorean democratic institutions and Rafael Correa.^[171] The summit also announced a "democratic clause" to the UNASUR Constitutive Treaty and an agreement to take immediate and concrete steps if further similar attempts should occur.^[171]

The United States declared support for Correa through its ambassador to the Organization of American States.US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed "full support for President Rafael Correa, and the institutions of democratic government in that country." On 5 October, Ecuadorian foreign minister Ricardo Patiño said “I firmly believe that Mr. Obama had nothing to do with this. I hope, and trust that neither his (immediate subordinates) did.^[172]

President of Unasur[link]

Correa was a signatory to the The UNASUR Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations on 15 July 2009.^[173]. Ecuador has ratified the treaty. On 10 August 2009 Correa hosted the Heads of Government of South America in Quito, as he took over the one year Pro Tempore Presidency of UNASUR.^[174][175] Correa announced on 3 April 2010 that he would propose to UNASUR the creation of a united front against transnationals like the US company Chevron, which he accused of attempting to destroy his country.^[176] Correa also asked that UNASUR create a commission to investigate the events that led to the 30 Sept. police revolt in Ecuador in which about a dozen people died and 270 were wounded. The uprising was led by police upset over a new law that would deny them promotion bonuses. During Friday's summit, leaders also approved a democratic charter that would serve as a guide for the 12-nation bloc if any of them faced an attempted coup. The charter would have been an effective tool during Ecuador's revolt, Correa said. On 29 November 2010, UNASUR's presidency passed from Ecuador to Guyana.^[177]

[edit] Lawsuit against the El Universo newspaper and Big Brother

Correa announced another lawsuit this time against an editorial writer and the directors of El Universo newspaper. The legal action included the opinion editor of the paper, Emilio Palacio, who was sued for defamation by a high-ranking public official last year. Correa alleged that several of Palacio's editorials were “accusations” and “slander."^{[citation needed][which?]} In an official Universo editorial it was suggested that he might have committed crimes against humanity. El Universo says the president’s suit was announced several hours after the newspaper published an article about an information access request denial. “We are not only suing the editorial writer, but also the newspaper El Universo’s directors,” said Correa, in a radio interview on Ecuadorinmediato, quoted by El Universo. “Ecuador’s autocrat cracks down on media freedom.”^[178] According to an editorial published by The Washington Post on 27 July 2011:

Last week the president personally attended the trial while thuggish supporters threw eggs and bottles at the defendants outside the courthouse. To no one’s surprise, the provisional judge hearing the case quickly ruled in the president’s favor, sentencing Mr. Palacio and the three El Universo directors to three years in prison and awarding $40 million in damages to Mr. Correa – an amount that exceeds the total value of the newspaper.^[9]

As of February 16, 2012, the National Court of Justice (Ecuador's highest court) confirmed the lower court's award of $40 milion in damages, as well as the three-year prison sentences against a journalist and three executives of the newspaper.^[12] The case related to unrest in September 2010, described by Mr Correa as an attempted coup, which saw him trapped inside a hospital for several hours by police officers. In an opinion article from February 2011 which appeared in El Universo, Emilio Palacio alleged that the president had ordered soldiers to fire on the hospital, which was full of civilians.^[179]

Correa has also filed a lawsuit against Juan Carlos Calderón and Christian Zurita, investigative journalists and authors of the book "Gran Hermano" (Big Brother). The lawsuit is based on the book's content, a journalistic investigation into contracts signed between the president's brother, Fabricio Correa, and the State.^[180][181]

Correa has been accused, in the words of the President of the Inter-American Press Association, of mounting a "systematic and hostile campaign to do away with the independent press and establish, by law or through the courts, ownership of the truth that all the Ecuadoran people must swallow."^[9] These complaints relate both to a series of lawsuits against journalists and to government takeovers of many media outlets.

The Washington Post reported in July 2011 that, according to a report for the National Endowment for Democracy, the government had controlled one radio station when Mr. Correa became president in 2007, but that by the time of the report it owned five television channels, four radio stations, two newspapers and four magazines.^[9]

Following wide condemnation of the sentences in the El Universo case, Correa announced on 27 February 2012 that he would pardon the four individuals involved. He also said he would drop his case against the authors of "Gran Hermano".^[13]

Ecuadorian constitutional referendum, 2011[link]

Correa announced a constitutional referendum, which took place on 7 May 2011. The Ecuadorian people were asked to vote on ten questions, including a reform of the judiciary. Despite opposition members denouncing what they call a "power grab" on behalf of Correa's government.^[182] Although an Exit poll driven by the "Santiago Perez" pollster showed that the 10 questions won with the 62% of the votes,^[183] as the count continued the "yes" lost presence even going as far as slightly losing to the "no" for a short period of time in questions 4 and 9. Correa pledged that the data had been manipulated by counting first the votes from the provinces where the "no" have won to create the "sensation of fraud" and he predicted that the "yes" will win with at least 250.000 votes on all 10 questions.^[184] At the end the "yes" won all 10 questions but only the first question got more than the 50% of the votes. ^{[185][186][187]} This was Correa's the eight election to pass during his term in office.^[188]

Chinese credits[link]

In 2010 and 2011, Ecuador received Chinese credits for around USD 5.000 millions. One of this financing model's projects is the hydroelectric Coca Codo Sinclair that the Asian giant builds and it finances with something more than USD 2.000 millions.^[189]

Correa pointed out that that nation gives credits to Ecuador to 7,0 percent, but it is to finance projects with 23 or 25 percent of profitability, that which is extremely good business, when referring to two thousand million dollars that will be dedicated to public investment initiatives, sustained that it is a “good business” to obtain credits with interests of 7 percent to finance projects with a profitability that it goes from the 23 to 25 percent.^[190] Correa discarded that the Ecuador is delivered to or have mortgaged its petroleum to China.

On this point he mentioned that in the 2006 75% of the Ecuadorian petroleum went to United States, in exchange for nothing. “Now we have 50% of the committed petroleum with China, in exchange for thousands of millions of dollars to finance the development of this country.^[191]

Restructuring of the justice[link]

After the results of the popular consultation^[192] was created the Council of the Transitory Judicature integrated by three members Tania Aryans (delegate of the Legislative), Paulo Rodríguez (delegate of the Executive) and Fernando Yávar (delegate of the Function of Transparency).^[193] This advice has 18 months to restructure the Judicial Function Among its functions it was the one of creating the new National Court of Justice whose possession was given January 2012,^[194] 21 whose members will be in the positions for nine years.^[195] The court of justice was created through a competition of merits and opposition. Correa who participated of the act of possession of the new domestic magistrates,^[196] said that the administration of justice is an imperium of the state and at the same time, it is a public service, also it expressed his total back to the new judges of the National Court of Justice (CNJ)^[197]

2012 Ecuadorian protests[link]

Ecuador's largest advocacy group for Indians plans a two-week march to Quito beginning Thursday to protest President Rafael Correa's land and water policies that they say are hurting their way of life. Correa accused the group, called CONAIE, of trying to destabilize his government and urged his followers to mobilize against them. The Indians are supported by the Popular Democratic Movement, a leftist party, the National Union of Educators and CONAIE, which supported Correa at the start of his administration in 2007 but soon moved to the opposition.^[198] The support march to the Government concentrated to thousands of demonstrators coming from different domestic parts that met in a park where they enjoyed artistic shows summoned to celebrate the Woman's International Day.^[199] The march began in an amazon region to the domestic southeast and it looks for to arrive to Quito next March 22. It has the back of teachers' organizations and students that this Thursday March 8 will concentrate in Quito and in several Ecuadorian counties

Correa declared that the protests look for to destabilize his government and he called to their followers to “to continue mobilized up to March 22”. “to resist peacefully. March 8 go to repletar the Square of the Independence (in front of Government's Palacio, in Quito) to tell them: ‘Here is and this revolution doesn't stop it anything neither nobody! '”, he manifested. Those in favor of the Government also announced the realization of countermarches in diverse domestic counties,^[200] as in Cuenca where they carried out a concentration that gathered around fifteen thousand people.^[201]

Public Image[link]

According to the Cedatos, Correa began his presidency with a 73 percent approval rating.^[202] An opinion poll carried out by Profiles of Opinion in the cities of Quito and Guayaquil, in March 2012, it indicates that 80,5% of those interviewed qualifies as positive the president's administration Correa.^[203] According to the Mitofsky of April of 2012, as regards the “approval of leaders in America and the world”, the president Correa, possesses an excellent evaluation.^[204] that it even increases from 75% to 81% of August from 2011 to January of 2012.^[205]

Recognition[link]

Rafael Correa has been honored with:

Necklace of the Liberator's Order, maximum badge of Venezuela 11 October 2007.^[206]

Conquering badge of Tarqui in Grade of Great Cruz of the Armed forces of Ecuador in gratefulness to the administration carried out in the soldiers' of the Homeland benefit.^[207]

Necklace of the Liberator's Order San Martin, maximum badge of the Republic Argentina, 20 April 2008^[208]

Order Great Marshal of Ayacucho of Venezuela for the character bolivariano of their administration in Ecuador, February 2009.^[209]

Order Francisco Morazán in Great Cruz's Grade, Badge of Gold of the Republic of Honduras.^[210]

Great Necklace of the Order The Sun of the Peru, maximum badge of that country, 9 June 2010.^[211]

Medal of Honor in Great Cruz's Grade, maximum badge of the Congress of the Peru, 12 June 2010.^[212]