Ecuador Without Gutierrez

Former Ecuadorian President Lucio Gutierrez arrived in Brazil’s capital, Brasilia, on Sunday. He has a political refugee status, after Ecuadorian Congress dismissed him last week.

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Gutierrez will hold a meeting with Minister of Justice Marcio Thomaz Bastos. According to Brazil’s government sources, this Ministry will be in charge of Gutierrez’s case from now on.

According to Mexican newspaper La Jornada the status of political refugee only lasts two years, but can be extended. According to the legislation, Gutierrez cannot leave Brazil without noticing the Federal Court that is in charge of allowing or denying the exit and entrance of the former president to the country.

Former Ecuadorian President is also banned to carry out political activities or declarations.

La Jornada newspaper assured that sources from the new Ecuadorian government led by Alfredo Palacio announced that the new President will promote policies different from Gutierrez.

Some of these policies are the re-negotiation of the external debt, the distance from the Plan Colombia --the US-Colombia political and military strategies to fight drug dealing in Colombia--, the use of oil to funds social investments and the rejection of penal immunity for US military staff operating in Ecuador.

It is hard to tell whether or not the new Ecuadorian government can implement these policies. Some of them require the Congress’ approval.

Ecuadorian Minister of Government Mauricio Gándara told La Jornada that his country aims to stop being the Plan Colombia’s aircraft carrier.

Gándara said his criticism towards Gutierrez begun since the day he was elected. Gutierrez gave in to US and to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe’s policies, which only aim to carry out George W. Bush’s policies.

Minister of Economy Rafael Correa said dolarization was the worst mistake in Ecuador’s financial history. He promised to end the management of oil funds, mainly destined to the payment of the external debt, which reaches 16,000 million dollars at the moment.

Correa added that he will pursue a political re-negotiation of the debt and that he will push for the Andean Free Trade Agreement to be submitted to popular consultation.