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
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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
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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
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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