CORREA NEUTRALIZES EXTREME LEFT BY CO-OPTING

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 002560 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2017 TAGS: PGOV EC SUBJECT: CORREA NEUTRALIZES EXTREME LEFT BY CO-OPTING EDUCATION AGENDA Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Jefferson T. Brown for reason 1. 4 (b) ¶1. (C) Summary: After decimating the centrist and rightist political parties, President Correa has now undercut the old, radical left. By issuing an Executive Decree calling for the hiring of 12,000 new teachers, President Correa co-opted the education agenda away from the ultra-left Popular Democratic Movement (MPD) party, which has had virtual control over the National Union of Educators (UNE) for decades. Though publicly outraged by Correa's decision not to give UNE veto power over selected teachers, some MPD members privately admit that there is little they can do to combat the decision given Correa's popularity and his public desire to make education a top priority. End Summary. CORREA TO TEACHERS' UNION: WE'LL DO IT MY WAY -------------- - ¶2. (SBU) President Correa's Executive Decree 708, designed to reform the education sector, went into force on November ¶14. The decree calls for the hiring of 12,000 new teachers at the primary and secondary levels. The decree tasks the Ministry of Education, not the once-powerful National Union of Educators (UNE),with selecting and hiring the teachers. The UNE will have representation on committees established to evaluate potential teachers' qualifications, but will have no veto power over decisions taken. This decision is a direct challenge to the MPD, which has had virtual control over the UNE for decades. The decree also limits the terms of high school principals to four years and eliminates the possibility of consecutive terms. ¶3. (SBU) Official MPD and UNE reaction to the decree has been highly critical. UNE officials have called on teachers to take to the streets and demand a reversal of the decree. Teachers throughout the country have attended rallies protesting the decision, including a large demonstration in Guayaquil on November 13. But in recent days the UNE appears to have switched tactics. Given President Correa's popularity, the UNE and the MPD have chosen to focus their criticism on Minister of Education Raul Vallejo. In an attempt to separate Vallejo from Correa and blame the minister for the decree, UNE President and MPD Assembly Member Jorge Escala stated in a November 27 media interview that "Vallejo is contradicting Correa and working in another direction." Furthermore, talks between the Ministry and the UNE have gone nowhere. MPD MEMBERS REALIZE THAT CORREA HAS THE UPPER HAND -------------- -------------- ¶4. (C) While MPD leaders are denouncing the move in public, other members are privately admitting that little can be done to reverse it. MPD Constituent Assembly Member Abel Avila told poloff on November 27 that in his view, and in the view of his MPD Assembly colleagues "Correa acted with political genius by doing what he did. He has taken the issue of education out our hands and made it his own". Avila went on to say that if the MPD continues to fight the decision it will look foolish since President Correa's public reasoning for the decree is to "hire the best teachers possible." In his November 10 radio address, Correa noted that "it is true that we do not have a formal alliance with MPD, but I have to recognize that they have supported us unconditionally. But that does not mean that we will allow certain parties or unions to dominate key sectors like education. Our greatest commitment is to the Ecuadorian people." In Avila's view, Correa "won the battle then and there. MPD General Assembly worker Estefania Molina added that while MPD is not pleased with the decision, it needs to cooperate with PAIS in the Assembly in order to achieve results in other areas of importance to the party, namely workers' rights and protections for minorities. COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (C) Though commentators were surprised by the move given PAIS' previous closeness with MPD, the decision has proven to be successful. The masses have not turned out to support teachers' demonstrations and MPD insiders concede defeat. The action has won Correa praise from urban middle classes and even elites that have been alienated by other recent moves. It is also an example of the glass-half-full benefit of PAIS having won an overwhelming majority in the Constituent Assembly; Correa does not require the fringe leftist parties that might otherwise have been critical to his maintaining Assembly control, freeing him potentially to pursue pragmatic and needed reforms that have been heretofore untouchable. The move also shows Correa's confidence and his commitment to neutralize even relatively supportive alternate bases of power. JEWELL