Ecuador's Correa
Aims For "Citizens
Revolution" In 2nd Term
Quito - Ecuadorian
President Rafael Correa, who took office on
Monday for his second term, faces the
challenges of strengthening the "citizens
revolution" and addressing the ongoing
international financial crisis.
Correa was the first Ecuadorian president
re-elected in the past 30 years after
serving two years and eight months in office
since he lunched what he called a "new
socialism" in 2007.
His first four-year term was to end in 2011,
but after winning a constitutional reform
earlier this year he gained re-election
until 2013.
With his "citizens revolution," Correa plans
to strengthen his economic and social
policies aimed at achieving social inclusion
and equality in the country.
Correa has announced he will strengthen the
state's macroeconomic function so as to
guarantee the social welfare and defend the
country's sovereignty in all aspects.
His new administration vowed to improve the
life of the most needed by "creating
economic process to confront an economic
model that monopolizes the wealth in hands
of few."
During his first term, Correa reinforced the
state, changed the Constitution and improved
the living conditions of the poor by giving
them subsidies.
Although the poor in Ecuador see Correa's
policies an opportunity to improve their
lives, the entrepreneurs do not agree with
them as they said his anti-neo-liberalism
vision scares away foreign investment in the
country.
Correa had forged distant but cordial ties
with the United States despite his refusal
to renew a lease with Washington to use the
Manta military base.
He won re-election amid a Colombian
accusation linking him with the
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)
by receiving "U.S. dollar support" from the
Colombian largest rebel group during his
presidential campaign in 2006.
Ecuador severed diplomatic ties with
Colombia in 2008 after the Colombian army
crossed the border to crack down on the FARC
rebels. However he had close ties with the
Venezuelan and Bolivian governments.
During his new term Correa has to decide if
he will stop the payments of Ecuador's
external debt or if he will re-negotiate the
credits that multilateral organizations have
given the country in the past.
Correa promised not to tolerate foreign
companies and local private economic groups,
including media, banks and entrepreneurs,
who have "abused" the country.
Ecuador has a credit of some 2.5 billion
dollars from different regional multilateral
organizations. The crisis could prompt
Correa to default on part of its debts
because of falling oil revenues and
remittances sent by the Ecuadorian migrants.
On Monday, Correa also received the rotating
presidency of the Union of South American
Nations (Unasur) from Chilean president
Michelle Bachelet.
The 12 member countries of Unasur agreed to
strengthen regional integration. |
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