BBC report on Ecuador. John Lancy´s comment. >Date: Sun, 23 Jan 2000 14:30:56 -0800 (PST) >From: John Lacny <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > Damn, the manuevers of the Ecuadorean military on >behalf of neoliberalism (in and out of a one-day >junta) have to be the most lightning-quick >bait-and-switch pulled by a ruling class in recent >memory. I know there have been a lot of postings on >this lately, but it's still kind of disorienting. Are >there any comrades from Ecuador on the list who can >help make some sense of all this? > > John Lacny > >******************************* >BBC, Sunday, 23 January, 2000, 11:33 GMT >Ecuador indians angry at 'betrayal' > >Leaders of the protest movement which overthrew the >president of Ecuador have warned they will fight to >oust his successor unless he can solve the country's >economic problems quickly. > >Indigenous indians expressed anger and feelings of >betrayal that their uprising has led only to the >former vice-president, Gustavo Noboa, being installed. > > >The new president has pledged to carry on with the >same tough economic policies which provoked the >original unrest. > >One indian, Salvador Quishpe, told Reuters news >agency: "We don't accept the presidential succession." > > >As the indians streamed out of the capital, Quito, >heading back to their mountain villages, their leader, >Antonio Vargas, said Mr Noboa had only been installed >after pressure from Washington. > >In an interview with a Mexican news agency, Mr Vargas >denounced General Carlos Mendoza, leader of the >three-man council for betraying the indiginous groups' >drive to form a new system of government that would >end widespread corruption and represent the interests >of the country's poor. > >"Mr Noboa wants to take advantage of our people's >fight to keep helping the same people as always, the >corrupt bankers. We will defend our historic fight," >he said. > >Mr Vargas warned that although they have disbanded for >now, his movement is still alive in the provinces and >ready to intensify its fight for reform. > >The indigenous indian leader was part of the three-man >council which took power briefly before being >dissolved in the immediate aftermath of President >Jamil Mahuad's overthrow. > >In Washington, a spokesman said the United States >supported constitutional government in Ecuador, and >was in close contact with all the relevant parties. > >But one taxi-driver in Quito described the change in >the corridors of power as simply "re-arranging the >furniture". > >"It's made the indians feel like they've achieved >something, but nothing has really changed," he told >the BBC's correspondent in Quito, Peter Greste. > >Mr Noboa - who has the backing of the Ecuadorean >Congress and the military leadership - has said he >will continue with the former president's economic >policies. > >In recent months, Ecuador's recession-plagued economy >has shrunk by 7%, while inflation soared to 40.7% > >Mr Mahuad's 'dollarisation' plan announced this month >was unpopular with the indigenous population and >workers' unions, which said the scheme would further >impoverish them by increasing prices but keeping >salaries low. > >Military chief General Carlos Mendoza, who took a >leading role in the three-man council immediately >following the coup, said the decision to install Mr >Noboa was taken after talks with US officials who >warned that Ecuador would lose aid and investment if >it did not restore power to the elected government. > >The US, the European Union and almost every Latin >nation had condemned any attempt at imposing a >government by non-constitutional means. > >Mr Mahuad, who has reportedly been offered asylum in >Chile, has given his support to the new president. >In his surprise television address, he condemned >Friday's events as a "national and international >shame", but wished Mr Noboa the best of luck. > >"I ask you to give Gustavo Noboa the support you did >not give to me," he said in the broadcast. "The hours >ahead for the president will be very hard... He needs >the country's support.'' >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. >http://im.yahoo.com > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
