Feb 7 (Reuters) - Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa ordered the expulsion of a U.S. Embassy official on Saturday after accusing him of interfering in the country's affairs.
Here are some of Correa's tough actions against foreign governments and investors since he took office in 2007:
* Correa vowed to cut off his right arm before he would extend a lease due to expire this year on a coastal air base that U.S. troops use for anti-narcotics missions. He said he would allow U.S. soldiers to stay at the base only if Washington allowed Ecuadorean troops to be stationed in Miami.
* Correa broke ties with Colombia and sent troops to its border after Colombian commandos raided a leftist rebel camp inside Ecuador in March. He has refused to mend ties with Colombia, saying U.S. ally President Alvaro Uribe has not done enough to protect the border and prevent Colombian rebels from trickling into Ecuador.
* Brazil briefly called back its ambassador in November after Ecuador filed a lawsuit to stop payments on a loan from a Brazilian bank on charges it was acquired illegally. Correa later said payments would continue until a court decides on the legitimacy of the debt, which he says is unfair to his poor nation.
Weeks earlier, Correa kicked out Brazilian building firm Odebrecht and sent troops to seize its projects in Ecuador over a contractual dispute.
* Correa in December refused to repay $3.2 billion in foreign debt over charges the bonds were linked to corrupt former officials and that their terms were unfair. He has often threatened to default on Ecuador's global bonds.
* Shortly after taking office in 2007, Correa expelled the World Bank's envoy after demanding the official explain why he suspended a loan while Correa was economy minister. Correa said the official halted the loan after he eliminated an oil fund earmarked for foreign debt payments.
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