Ecuador to US: Mutual Respect
Ecuadorian President-elect Rafael Correa asserted on Tuesday that relations with Washington "will be good as long as they respect Ecuadorian Law and the country s sovereignty and dignity."

This was the 43-year-old economist s televised response to statements by a US State Department official about the future of Washington-Quito relations following Correa s Sunday election win.

He said the agreement for Manta Base, where US troops are deployed, will not be ratified and will expire in 2009, "because sovereignty is not for sale." I think the people s statement on Sunday has clarified that, he said.

Correa confirmed that his government will be different. "We are making history, and we cannot lose our hope. We are people with clean hands, who will not accept the rats (oligarchs), who have caused the country so much damage." He announced that he will foster reform of the financial institution law, with a view to limit flight of capital abroad because he considers it essential to have those funds in the country to encourage foreign investments and social policies.