[R-G] Ecuador's Hugo Chavez? Wash. Post interviews Correa

[Anthony Fenton]

Copyright 2007 The Washington Post
All Rights Reserved
http://www.washingtonpost.com
The Washington Post

October 1, 2007 Monday
Regional Edition

SECTION: EDITORIAL COPY; Pg. A19

DISTRIBUTION: Maryland

LENGTH: 803 words

HEADLINE: Ecuador's Hugo Chavez?

BODY:


Ecuador's new left-leaning president, Rafael Correa, studied  
economics in the United States, but the U.S. way of governing does  
not seem to have rubbed off on him. He appears set on following the  
example set by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Last week Correa sat  
down with Newsweek-Washington Post's Lally Weymouth. Excerpts:

Q. People want to know if you are as anti-U.S. as your rhetoric would  
indicate.

A. I lived here and have two academic diplomas from the University of  
Illinois. Historically we have had very good relations with this  
country, so we are not anti-American at all. We would like to improve  
our commercial cooperation with the U.S.

Then why do you oppose the U.S.-Ecuador trade pact?

Because it will destroy our agricultural sector.

What is wrong with the free-trade agreement?

When you are trading with a country with huge subsidies for the  
agricultural sector like the U.S. -- the impact of this free-trade  
agreement would be dangerous for our farmers.

But surely overall, the impact would be positive?

You are wrong. Even for Mexico, you can see a lot of problems [from  
NAFTA]. The impact on small farmers is very dangerous.

How close are you to Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez?

He is a very good friend of mine.

Do you admire Chavez and think he has done a good job?

Yes, I think he's a very honest person -- a clear leader, a very  
democratic president.

You are now calling for a new constituent assembly as Chavez did. Why?

We don't have a true representative democracy because our  
representatives don't care about us. So we don't have means to push  
them to do what people want to do.

It's said that the constituent assembly will make the executive  
branch stronger.

In our country, the executive power is very weak. . . . The executive  
needs more power in order to lead the country.

Why have you said that you would not renew the U.S. lease on the base  
at Manta in '09?

You are asking me why not. I am asking you why "yes."

Because it is used for anti-drug surveillance flights.

Ecuador is not a drug producer, and we have been very successful in  
our fight against drugs. So why put a foreign military base in our  
country?

You have spoken about either not paying or restructuring Ecuador's  
foreign debt. What is your plan?

We are going to pay the foreign debt as long as the situation in the  
country allows us to pay it. If we don't have enough money to pay the  
social claims in Ecuador, salaries, etc., and at the same time to pay  
the foreign debt, our ethical and technical priorities are very  
clear. First, to attempt to face the national needs, later, the  
foreign debt.

In order to create jobs, don't you have to attract foreign direct  
investment?

At this moment, Ecuador doesn't have external financing. We have  
enough national and public savings in order to make loans to start  
the growth process and employment creation.

Why wouldn't it be smarter to attract foreign capital instead of  
using up public savings?

We are not refusing foreign investment. If foreign investment wants  
to come, it is welcome, but we have our own savings.

So you are not going to get outside companies to come in and finance  
refineries? Are they welcome to own them?

They are welcome, but we are counting on our own savings in the first  
instance.

What's the law? Are they welcome to own them or are you going to  
nationalize them?

We prefer that the kind of business related to non-renewable  
resources to be owned by the state or by public enterprises.

Why do you support the seizing of the Occidental oil fields?

Because they broke 52 times the contract, our Ecuadorian law -- they  
believe we are still a colony.

What is your priority?

Constitutional reforms in order to have a true democracy.

Didn't you crack down on the press and arrest an editor last May?

You have very uneducated journalists in our country.

What is your idea of an uneducated journalist?

They believe that in order to have an interview, they have to aggress  
the other person. They must learn to respect people, especially the  
president of their republic.

Our politicians probably don't like being attacked, but they respect  
the free media.

I respect the media, but I also respect the rights of the other  
person. You don't have the kind of journalists we do. Secondly, not  
all things are good in this country. In our country, if someone calls  
you a killer, a thief, a dishonest man, he must prove it; otherwise  
he goes to jail. I know that here in the United States you can say a  
lot of things without proof.

What do you think about President Bush and your relationship with the  
United States?

We have not had any high-level contact with this administration.

Is there anything you would like the American people to know about you?

Perhaps they can be convinced that we are honest people who are doing  
what anyone would do in our country with huge inequalities.

GRAPHIC: IMAGE; By Eduardo Valenzuela -- Associated Press; Ecuador's  
president, Rafael Correa, after voting yesterday in the election for  
a constitutional assembly in which his party won a majority.