MFA WINS PRESIDENT'S EAR; BETANCOURT TO WASHINGTON

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000042

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/05/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV EC
SUBJECT: MFA WINS PRESIDENT'S EAR; BETANCOURT TO WASHINGTON

REF: A. QUITO 3302


B. QUITO 3151

Classified By: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)


1. (U) This telegram contains an action request; please see
Paragraph 4.


2. (C) President Lucio Gutierrez, in January 3 comments to
Ecuador's Channel 1 television, revealed his candidate to
head the GoE's embassy in Washington: Roberto Betancourt,
currently the MFA's subsecretary (U/S equivalent) for
bilateral affairs. Betancourt was Gutierrez's early choice,
the president informing the Ambassador December 2 he required
a professional diplomat in Washington, skilled in negotiation
and well-versed in trade matters (Ref A). Two weeks later,
however, presidential insider Carlos Polit told the
Ambassador that Gutierrez was reconsidering, instead eyeing
ex-Finance Minister Mauricio Pozo for the key Washington
posting (Ref B).


3. (C) Over lunch with the Ambassador January 5, Commerce
Minister Ivonne Baki confirmed that Gutierrez solidly backed
the career dip. She and Polit had lobbied hard for Pozo, but
had lost the battle to Foreign Minister Patricio Zuquilanda,
Betancourt's primary patron.


4. (SBU) ACTION REQUEST. We understand that, upon receipt
of Ref B, the Department slowed agrement processes, pending
clarification of Gutierrez's commitment to a candidate. With
the GoE's preference NOW clear, we recommend the Department
restart agrement for Roberto Betancourt, Ecuador's U.S.
ambassador-designate.
KENNEY