Ecuador's leftist presidential front-runner defends closer relations with

[Judi Lynn]

Ecuador's leftist presidential front-runner defends closer relations with Venezuela's Chavez in televised debate
The Associated Press

Published: October 6, 2006


QUITO, Ecuador Ecuador's leftist front-running presidential candidate defended deepening relations with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez during a televised debate with his three closest rivals ahead of the Oct. 15 elections.

"We absolutely do not have to ask for authorization from anybody to seek getting closer with a brother nation like Venezuela," said Rafael Correa, in apparent reference to concerns in Washington about Chavez's growing influence in the region. "We will seek that with all countries of Latin America."

The debate late Thursday was aired by Ecuador's Channel 8 and broadcast by CNN's Spanish-language service.

Correa, a U.S.-trained economist, has recently surged to the front with about 27 percent backing. He has a roughly 10 point lead over his closest challenger, center-left former Vice President Leon Roldos, who is only a couple of percentage points ahead of populist banana-magnate billionaire Alvaro Noboa, polls show. Trailing in fourth place is conservative former Congresswoman Cynthia Viteri, with about 10 percent support.
(snip/...)

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/10/06/america/LA_GEN_Ecuador_Candidates.php

[Judi Lynn]

1. Ecuador leftist sees merits of alliance with Chavez

Ecuador leftist sees merits of alliance with Chavez
Wed Oct 4, 2006 2:39pm ET
Email This Article | Print This Article | Reprints <-> Text <+> ADVISORY: Under Ecuadorean law, subscribers cannot publish or distribute electoral polls in Ecuador prior to the country's election on October 15.

By Alonso Soto

QUITO, Ecuador (Reuters) - Ecuadorean presidential frontrunner Rafael Correa, sensing the poor majority relishes anti-U.S. rhetoric, is reaping the rewards of an alliance with Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez in the run-up to the October 15 election.

Chavez and Cuban leader Fidel Castro have already formed a left-wing triumvirate with Chavez's protege Bolivian President Evo Morales, and Wall Street is worried that Correa could bring Ecuador into the anti-U.S. club.

After Chavez labeled President Bush "the devil" at last month's U.N. General Assembly, Correa quipped that Satan should feel insulted by being compared to an intellectual inferior.

Such jibes play well in Quito where walls are scrawled with anti-U.S. graffiti and murals of Uncle Sam vomiting fire. The heavily fortified U.S. embassy is a hotspot for protests.
(snip/...)

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=winterOlympics&storyID=2006-10-04T183907Z_01_N04208762_RTRUKOC_0_US-ECUADOR-CHAVEZ.xml

[Union Thug]

2. "anti-US club"

Why is the US always equated with its capitalist/imperialist economic system? Democracy does not require, and is not the same as unfettered capitalism. I've never heard Chavez say he hates the people who make up the US (in fact, his inexpensive oil program pretty clearly demonstrates otherwise).

I hate it when writers conflate the USA with current US POLICIES.

[Peace Patriot]

3. Viva la revolución!

:applause: :applause: :woohoo: :applause: :applause: