Ecuador criticizes new EU rules on illegal immigrants

QUITO, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa Wednesday criticized the controversial rules on detention of illegal immigrants in the European Union (EU), which have just been approved by the EU Parliament.

During an interview with local radio, Correa accused the new migration law of being barbarous and shameful.

The so-called "Return Directive" represents true shame for Europe, Correa said.

"The directive is not a return directive, but a directive of shamefulness, it is truly a shame what Europe has done," Correa said.

EU lawmakers approved Wednesday that illegal immigrants can be detained for up to 18 months and face a re-entry ban of up to five years in 27 countries of the EU.

Correa was the first Latin American leader to react to the rules, which will affect three million migrants from the Andean Community of Nations (CAN), comprising Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, the Ecuadoran Foreign Ministry reported.

Correa said he would call for regional action, at least at a South American level, to protest against such an attempt to violate human rights.