Ecuadorian new gov't still facing tough job
Ecuador's new government headed by President Alfredo Palacio is facing a tough job in ironing out divisions over the Supreme Court and handling relations with the United States and the Organization of American States (OAS).

The South American country has been in a turmoil after ousted President Lucio Gutierrez faced mounting street protests against what the opposition said an illegal overhaul of the Supreme Court to amass power.

Congress voted to sack Gutierrez last Wednesday for dereliction of duty and appointed Vice President Alfredo Palacio as president.

But for the new administration, to form a new Supreme Court, appoint 31 judges and reorganize constitutional and electoral courts are still tangled issues as various parties remain divided out of different interests.

Former leader Gutierrez and his family left the Brazilian ambassador's residence where he had holed up since the end of his presidency and arrived in Brazil on Sunday for political asylum.

Angry demonstrators had surrounded the Brazilian Embassy for days and demanded Gutierrez be captured and brought to trial.

His departure did not dampen protester's outrage. They vigorously asked 100 lawmakers to resign and considered the politicians shoulder an unshirkable responsibility for the four-month-long political crisis.

On international arena, Ecuador also remains the focus of global attention after the power shift.

US officials were cautious when asked about recognizing the new government, but said they were working with Quito to help ensure a constitutional solution.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called for calm and respect for the constitutional procedure in Ecuador.

"There needs now to be a constitutional process to get to elections, if that is what is in the future," Rice told Fox News.

The OAS has not given formal recognition to Ecuador's new leadership. It decided last Friday to send a senior diplomatic mission there to study the situation.

Diplomats said it was the first time for the bloc to use the Inter-American Democratic Charter which entrusts the OAS Permanent Council to dispatch such a delegation to analyze the situation in Ecuador.

However, the Ecuadorian side has ruled out the possibility of early elections and stressed President Palacio will serve till the end of Gutierrez's term, which falls on Jan. 15, 2007.