GOE CRITICAL OF HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2006

UNCLAS QUITO 000559 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO APER PHUM PREL EC SUBJECT: GOE CRITICAL OF HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2006 REF: A) STATE 21092 B) STATE 27773 ¶1. (U) Summary: The Correa Government publicly criticized our recently-released human rights report detailing problems in Ecuador, challenging our competency to judge human rights. That said, GOE objections were more muted than last year, under the Palacio Government. Ecuadorian press reaction has been factual, highlighting the problems the report cites, and noting that overall, human rights conditions in Ecuador have improved somewhat. End summary. GOE Reaction Better Than Last Year -------------- ¶2. (U) In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs March 7, the GOE reiterated "its traditional position that the Department of State lacks the competency and the international mandate to judge and issue value judgments regarding the fulfillment of human rights in the countries examined." Unlike in 2005, when then-FM Carrion repeatedly and publicly criticized the report, official commentary against the report ended there. Neither Correa nor the Foreign Minister made any public comments. The remainder of the statement described how Ecuador was dealing with human rights issues and noted the government's efforts to improve the professionalism of the police, determination to fight corruption and its improved record fighting trafficking in persons. ¶3. (SBU) Prior to the release of the statement, Poloff met with Augusto Saa, MFA Director General for Human Rights and Social Issues. Saa said that Ecuador was "required to respond to the Human Rights Report chapter on Ecuador based on the normalities of a bilateral diplomatic relationship," (whatever that means) but said the GOE'sresponse would not be inflammatory. Saa reported that the Ministry wanted to be constructive and sought to "contribute to the discourse" regarding human rights in Ecuador and around the world. Press Reaction Less Prickly -------------- ¶4. (U) Press coverage of the report following its release on March 7 focused on the reports description of corruption and the weaknesses of Ecuador's judicial system. Major national daily El Universo's page two caption on the report read "the country is affected by corruption and a vulnerable justice system." Some articles noted that the U.S. included some self-critical language as part of the release this year. In general, press coverage was factual, with some publications concluding that the overall picture in Ecuador had improved over the last year. Comment -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The Correa government's nationalistic objections to the report aside, the GOE's reaction has been most interesting for its restraint in comparison to an even less civil predecessor. It helps that relative to its neighbors, Ecuador's human rights situation looks reasonably good, and that the Correa government is committed to reform of the police and other weak institutions. That restraint will be more seriously tested next year, when we will report on human rights conditions under the Correa Government. JEWELL