Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05QUITO848
2005-04-18 22:14:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Quito
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION: ECUADOR UNREST

Tags:  PREL OPRC KIRC KPAO EC 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS QUITO 000848 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INR/R/MR, WHA, WHA/AND, WHA/PDA
DIRONDCP FOR PA
EMBASSIES FOR PAO/IO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL OPRC KIRC KPAO EC
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: ECUADOR UNREST

UNCLAS QUITO 000848

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INR/R/MR, WHA, WHA/AND, WHA/PDA
DIRONDCP FOR PA
EMBASSIES FOR PAO/IO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL OPRC KIRC KPAO EC
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: ECUADOR UNREST


1. "Go Home!" an opinion column (04/18) by Diego
Araujo Sanchez in Quito's center-left "Hoy" (circ.
38,500)

Quote: "The straw that broke the camel's back was
the return of [ex-president] Abdala Bucaram; the
capital has not forgotten his scandalous corruption
nor the offensive shamelessness of his short tenure.
The President made the worst mistake of his live
conspiring with Bucuram [for his return] and placing
himself in his and Alvaro Noboa's [PRIAN party
leader] hands. When government-aligned congressmen
assaulted the Supreme Court of Justice and the
Constitutional Tribunal and parceled out the
Electoral Tribunals, they all yelled victory, but it
was just a short-lived and useless triumph.
Gutirrez, who arrived in Carondelet with the promise
of fighting against corruption, and who has
repeatedly stated he fights against oligarchies, took
off his mask and showed his hypocrisy by favoring the
impunity of a former president charged with
corruption and forging an alliance with him."



2. "Trampling on Democracy" an opinion column
(04/18) by Grace Jaramillo in Quito's leading
centrist "El Comercio" (circ. 70,000)

Quote: "Requiem. Democracy ceased to exist
officially on Friday at 9:31 PM when the President
died attempting to respect the Constitution and make
everyone else respect it. Since that day, the leader
has a new presidential sash that reads, `I am the
state." Under this premise he assumed the functions
that correspond only to the National Congress..

"Quito has become an [expression of community
sentiment], where neither the parties nor the
political movements were able to channel the
citizens' will and now the only demand is the ousting
of Lucio Gutierrez and with him the whole political
class. How much longer will the regime endure
internal and international pressure?


3. "Gutierrez, End To So Much Deceit," an opinion
column (04/18) by Miguel Rivadeneira in Quito's
leading centrist "El Comercio" (circ. 70,000)

Quote: The people from Quito are fed up and are
putting an end to so much deceit and lies from Col.
Gutierrez.

"The popular uprising, without political leaders, is
starting to spread throughout the country because we
cannot stand any more what the Colonel, his family,
friends, and those who enjoy power have done.

"The issue is not only the elimination of the
unconstitutional Court, but the ousting of the
Colonel who supported it as well."

KENNEY