ECUADOR - RESPONSE TO LIBERTAD ACT REVIEW

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000375 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: TWENTY YEARS TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU EC SUBJECT: ECUADOR - RESPONSE TO LIBERTAD ACT REVIEW REF: STATE 48487 Classified By: Ambassador Heather M. Hodges for Reasons 1.4 (... id: 208195 date: 5/21/2009 17:34 refid: 09QUITO375 origin: Embassy Quito classification: CONFIDENTIAL destination: 09STATE48487 header: VZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHQT #0375 1411734 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 211734Z MAY 09 FM AMEMBASSY QUITO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0393 INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 8151 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 4179 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3550 RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAY LIMA 3207 RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 4332 -------------- header ends -------------- C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000375 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: TWENTY YEARS TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU EC SUBJECT: ECUADOR - RESPONSE TO LIBERTAD ACT REVIEW REF: STATE 48487 Classified By: Ambassador Heather M. Hodges for Reasons 1.4 (b&d) ¶1. (C) The Embassy provides the following information on the relationship between the Cuban government and Ecuador in response to reftel. ¶2. (C) Ecuador has not worked to promote the advancement of democracy and human rights in Cuba, nor has it undertaken governmental action to condemn human rights abuses or to support civil society in Cuba. On the contrary, President Correa and members of his cabinet paid an official visit to Cuba in January 2009, during which Correa declared himself an unconditional ally of Cuba. He commended the Cuban revolution and claimed it had succeeded in ensuring human rights for all Cubans. Correa has since also made several calls for the U.S. to end its "blockade" against Cuba. ¶3. (C) According to press reports, 100 Ecuadorians received scholarships for study in Cuba in 2008, especially in medicine, and a similar number of scholarships have been issued annually. Some government officials are known to have studied in Cuba. ¶4. (SBU) Ecuador does not have significant economic or political interests in Cuba. During Correa's official trip to Cuba in January 2009, the two countries signed nine bilateral agreements in the areas of health, trade, culture, sports, science and technology, electricity and renewable energy, economic cooperation, reciprocal visa treatment for government officials, and political consultations. An MOU to negotiate expansion of the economic cooperation agreement between the two countries was also signed. Cuban doctors also operate within Ecuador. ¶5. (C) Comment: The signing of cooperation agreements between Ecuador and Cuba does not necessarily signal increased cooperation in the future. Ecuador has signed agreements with many countries which have been largely political and symbolic in nature. HODGES =======================CABLE ENDS============================