In this image released by Venezuela's Miraflores Press Office, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, right, stands with Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko at Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, Friday, Dec. 7, 2007.
Story Published: Dec 9, 2007 at 11:57 AM PST
Story Published: Dec 9, 2007 at 11:57 AM PST
Besides the oil of the region, there is economic vitality in the rainforests with protected conservation efforts.
Ecuador's Correa Deepens Navy's Control of State Oil Company
By Stephan Kueffner
Dec. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Ecuador appointed Navy officers to lead the state-owned oil company's three biggest divisions, deepening the armed forces' control of PetroEcuador.
Patricio Goyes will run the production unit, Carlos Albuja will head refining, and Marco Salinas will oversee sales of oil and other fuels, the company said today in an e-mailed statement.
The personnel moves come after President Rafael Correa last week named a Navy admiral to run the company, which produces about half of the Andean country's roughly 500,000 barrels in daily output. He handed control to the military after a week of protests in the Amazon region shut some output....
By Stephan Kueffner
Dec. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Ecuador appointed Navy officers to lead the state-owned oil company's three biggest divisions, deepening the armed forces' control of PetroEcuador.
Patricio Goyes will run the production unit, Carlos Albuja will head refining, and Marco Salinas will oversee sales of oil and other fuels, the company said today in an e-mailed statement.
The personnel moves come after President Rafael Correa last week named a Navy admiral to run the company, which produces about half of the Andean country's roughly 500,000 barrels in daily output. He handed control to the military after a week of protests in the Amazon region shut some output....
Perhaps that is the intent of the Chinese interest in Equator? I mean if the USA can't stabilize a country, I guess they won't be extended a welcome. But, in the same instance doesn't that open more nuclaer options in the Western Hemisphere? Well, at any rate, the rainforests, if over run by militias would be plundered for their lumber and causing not only the failure of the scientific efforts in Northern Chile, but, a new danger to the carbon sinks that are so vital to Earth.
China poised to take over U.S. base at Ecuador's invitation
Ecuador’s president has offered the Chinese government an airbase currently serving as one of the last U.S. military outposts in South America.
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa said during his recent visit to China that he would offer Beijing a lease on the Manta Airport, the presidential website reported last week.
Currently, Manta is used by U.S. military forces for operations. The contract is up in 2009 and Correa will not renew it, a transport and public works ministry communications official told BNamericas.
Currently, Manta is used by U.S. military forces for operations. The contract is up in 2009 and Correa will not renew it, a transport and public works ministry communications official told BNamericas.
Bank of South Inaugurated in Argentina
Buenos Aires, Dec 9 (Prensa Latina) The Presidents of Brazil, Venezuela, Paraguay, Bolivia, Ecuador, Uruguay and Argentina will meet here on Sunday to sign the foundational act of the Bank of the South, which will fund regional projects, official sources confirmed on Saturday.
Bank of the South with a New Tool for Development
Hugo Chavez Arrives in Argentina for Inauguration
The ceremony to inaugurate the Bank of the South will be one of the last official activities of Argentine President Nestor Kirchner, who will hand over power to his wife, Cristina Fernandez, on Monday.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez confirmed the inaugural ceremony, when he ratified an announcement made by his Ecuadorian counterpart, Rafael Correa.
"Caracas will be the venue. We had planned to sign it in Caracas one of these days, but there is not time due to overlapped schedules," Chavez said recently in Santiago de Chile at the end of the Ibero-American Summit.
The Bank of the South will open with an initial capital of seven billion dollars, which will come from the seven member countries" international reserves.
According to Chavez, one of the promoters of the project, the bank will help Latin America to be financially independent from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
Buenos Aires, Dec 9 (Prensa Latina) The Presidents of Brazil, Venezuela, Paraguay, Bolivia, Ecuador, Uruguay and Argentina will meet here on Sunday to sign the foundational act of the Bank of the South, which will fund regional projects, official sources confirmed on Saturday.
Bank of the South with a New Tool for Development
Hugo Chavez Arrives in Argentina for Inauguration
The ceremony to inaugurate the Bank of the South will be one of the last official activities of Argentine President Nestor Kirchner, who will hand over power to his wife, Cristina Fernandez, on Monday.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez confirmed the inaugural ceremony, when he ratified an announcement made by his Ecuadorian counterpart, Rafael Correa.
"Caracas will be the venue. We had planned to sign it in Caracas one of these days, but there is not time due to overlapped schedules," Chavez said recently in Santiago de Chile at the end of the Ibero-American Summit.
The Bank of the South will open with an initial capital of seven billion dollars, which will come from the seven member countries" international reserves.
According to Chavez, one of the promoters of the project, the bank will help Latin America to be financially independent from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
Ecuador's foreign minister resigns
QUITO, Ecuador (AP): Ecuador's foreign minister resigned Thursday and President Rafael Correa wants her successor to adopt a "more revolutionary'' approach to diplomacy, a government spokeswoman said Thursday.
Maria Espinosa resigned for personal reasons but may still work with the government in other areas, spokeswoman Julia Ortega told reporters.
Espinosa's replacement has not been named but Correa "wants the diplomatic service to be much more revolutionary,'' Ortega said. The Foreign Ministry must "respond much more to the dynamic of the new government and citizen's revolution.''
The leftist Correa took office in January vowing to root out corruption and wrest power from Ecuador's traditional political parties, which he blames for the country's ills.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/12/7/apworld/20071207084435&sec=apworld
Ecuadorian president appoints new foreign minister
www.chinaview.cn
2007-12-08 10:19:14
QUITO, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Ecuadorans President Rafael Correa appointed Tourism Minister Maria Isabel Salvador as the country's top diplomat Friday after her predecessor resigned the previous day.
Salvador was sworn in as the new foreign minister at a cabinet meeting to succeed Maria Fernanda Espinosa, who tendered her formal resignation Thursday. A government spokeswoman said she resigned for personal reasons.
Espinosa acknowledged certain problems in the foreign ministry, but denied having problems with President Correa, saying she is willing to continue collaborating with him in the citizen revolution project he is carrying out.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-12/08/content_7217968.htm
Ecuador Endorses Constituent Assembly’s Actions
December 09, 2007
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Many Ecuadorians are content with the first decisions carried out by their Constituent Assembly, according to a poll by Cedatos/Gallup. 76 per cent of respondents support the ad-hoc legislative body’s ratification of Rafael Correa as president, and 69 per cent approve of the decision to shut down the National Congress.
In addition, 59 per cent of respondents agree with the Constituent Assembly having full powers, and 52 per cent approve of its ability to dismiss any person or institution that does not carry out its decisions. Support is considerably lower—at 35 per cent—for allowing lawmakers to have immunity from prosecution.
http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/29278/ecuador_endorses_constituent_assemblyaas_actions
