Ecuadorian Ministry, What's in a Name?

Quito, Aug 30 (Prensa Latina) Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa changed the name of the Social Welfare Ministry to Economic and Social Inclusion Ministry in order to bury old neoliberal practices, official sources reported on Thursday.

"The Economic and Social Ministry will be devoted to serving the people; the previous ministry was buried because of its neoliberal practices and because it brought violence and corruption," Correa said when presenting the new institution.

According to the Republic's presidential website, Correa said that with this step they are seeking an institutional change, to boost economic inclusion of the unprotected, in the context of building a country for everyone.

He recalled that from that ministry's headquarters, "bandits and criminals shot the people" (in April 2005 under ex President Lucio Gutierrez).

For the head of State, "the social guarantees of this new perspective of inclusion include the right to protection, to have no mistreated child and to encourage the citizenry, their organization and social cohesion."

Going from obtaining votes with promises of government posts to citizenship requires strengthening the social policy, through universalism and equality, and not discrimination, he said.