Reply #42: Hurtado was indeed involved in the expulsion of Astorga

[rabs]

Looks like Hurtado refused to have an Ecuadoran police official submit to lie-detector tests by USG agents from the DHS/ICE. That led to a threatening letter from Astorga to Hurtado, and Correa got his hands on it. Cable is from Feb. 2009.


SUBJECT: CORREA ANGRY OVER CONDITIONS ON VETTED UNIT

REF: A. QUITO 57 B. QUITO 10 QUITO 00000100 001.2 OF 003

Classified By: Ambassador Heather Hodges for reason 1.4 (D) 1.

(C) Summary: During his February 7 weekly radio/TV address, an indignant President Correa, reading from a January 8 letter from the DHS/ICE Attache in Quito, rejected coordinated selection of personnel for an anti-smuggling/contraband unit and announced the Attache's expulsion, apparently unaware that he had departed three weeks earlier.

He threatened that the GOE would do similar checks on pilots flying counter-narcotics surveillance planes under the gas-and-go model after the FOL departs.

EVENTS THAT LED TO CORREA'S OUTBURST
2. (C) The Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement (DHS/ICE), using funding from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs through the Narcotics Affairs Section, has supported the Ecuadorian National Police National Intelligence Directorate's Center for Anti-Contraband Operations (COAC) since FY 2003.

A verbal agreement existed between the ICE Attache and police commanders that the personnel would submit to polygraph tests in order to avoid corruption. USG assistance to the unit, which targeted those involved in human smuggling as well as contraband, totaled $720,000 to date.

3. (C) In December 2008, Ecuadorian National Police commander General Jaime Hurtado informed DHS/ICE Attache Armando Astorga that he had decided to appoint a new COAC chief without coordinating with DHS/ICE.

Astorga attempted to persuade Hurtado to follow agreed procedures. When his efforts failed, Astorga sent the January 8 letter to Hurtado, with the concurrence of his headquarters and the Ambassador. It stated that DHS/ICE operational and logistical support would be terminated and asked for the return of all equipment previously provided. The letter suggested that the decision could be revisited if circumstances change.

Cable:

http://www.eluniverso.com/2011/04/06/1/1355/cable-191162.html