Asylum granted to Gutierrez accord with diplomatic tradition: Brazil
The asylum granted to ousted Ecuadorian President Lucio Gutierrez is in line with diplomatic tradition and does not imply any intervention in Ecuador's political crisis, a senior Brazilian diplomat said Thursday.

Sergio Florencio Sobrinho, Brazil's ambassador to Ecuador, said the asylum "does not represent a value judgment or any positive or negative sentiment" on Gutierrez.

He expressed confidence that the decision to grant asylum to Gutierrez will not cause negative consequences in relations between the two countries.

The diplomatic asylum in friendly nations such as Brazil and Ecuador is a tradition of his country's diplomacy, said the ambassador. "Our aim is to help Ecuador overcome the political crisis," he told Radio Nacional de Amazonia.

Earlier, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry said Sobrinho, on behalf of the government, was negotiating a possible safe passage for Gutierrez with Ecuador's new leaders.

If the two sides reach an agreement, the ousted president may fly to Brasilia Thursday aboard a Brazilian air force plane.

Ecuador has been in turmoil after its congress voted on Wednesday to fire Gutierrez for "abandoning his post" and named Vice President Alfredo Palacio in his place. Palacio was sworn in later Wednesday.