Ecuador: U.S. Ambassador Must Leave Over WikiLeaks Cables

(Reuters) - Ecuador said on Tuesday it had declared the U.S. ambassador to the country "persona non grata," demanding the envoy leave over U.S. diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks reporting alleged police corruption.

Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino told reporters he had not received a satisfactory explanation from U.S. ambassador Heather Hodges about cables previously released by Wikileaks and signed by her office.

"Ecuador's government has decided to consider this woman as a persona non grata... we have asked her to leave the country in the shortest time possible," he said.

Patino said the decision did not mean Ecuador was breaking off relations with the United States.

Wikileaks has caused an international uproar by handing sensitive U.S. diplomatic documents to the media.

The U.S. ambassador to Mexico resigned last month after a public spat with President Felipe Calderon. Tensions were fueled by Wikileaks reports of comments made by the envoy about the Mexico's lack of coordination battling drug cartels.

Ecuador late last year had initially offered Wikileaks founder Julian Assange the possibility of working and seeking residency in the Andean country. But President Rafael Correa later withdrew the offer saying Assange had broken U.S. laws.

(Reporting by Quito newsroom, editing by Pat Markey)

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions.

Comments

[richmx2]

02:54 PM on 04/06/2011

As usual, U.S. media is relying on what the U.S. government says. The Ecuadorians have been questioning the integrity of this U.S. Ambassador ever since it was revealed that the U.S. Ambassador to Ecuador was in agreement with the Colombian government plans to "reveal" alleged ties between the Ecuadorian government and FARC (the source later proving false)... and the seeming U.S. support for an attempted coup last year... and the open hostility of the U.S. government (going back to the Bush II administration) towards democratic leftist governments (Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia)

[Michell Guzmn Talbot]

02:44 PM on 04/06/2011

I'm from Ecuador and it's true, we do have police corruption, but it's no matter for the US ambassador to discuss, especially when she connects the head of the police with grave issues and criminal endeavors. Does she have proof? no, she doesn't, only hearsay. No documents or audio transcripts to support her claim.

We are tired of the US mingling in our politics. We are tired of the US trying to be the police of the world and corrupt are fragile and dirty politicians. With Correa we have improved our HDI, we have better highways (most of them concrete), better education and real universal healthcare. Before we were subdued to the IMF and what ever they decided regarding our foreign debt, had to be done. Now, the majority of our budget goes to the people.

Correa does not answer to Chavez or Castro. That's what the right wing propaganda wants you to think. Just judge for yourselves. Correa doesn't follow Chavez or Castro's policies. Wake up!

[spearsspears]

02:48 PM on 04/06/2011

So it's OK for you to talk about our problems but we can't talk about yours?

[Michell Guzmn Talbot]

02:51 PM on 04/06/2011

no, I'm talking about proof. Read my text and read why she was declared persona non grata.

[Susan Shaffer]

03:44 PM on 04/06/2011

i have lived in pakistan and your comment resonates.
countries like this struggle with debt, try to make things better for the masses but people only know about the corrupt and what they do

[Taxim]

11:20 AM on 04/06/2011

Yeah, why bother identifying the offending cable. Excellent journalism.

[lqw]

08:57 AM on 04/06/2011

What's keeping you there ? Leave !

[messy]

08:58 AM on 04/06/2011

Wikileaks has succeeded in it's mission to end diplomacy!!!! Ambassadors thrown out for telling the truth to their governments. Julian Assange must be sooooo proud!

[born 2b different]

09:38 AM on 04/06/2011

The people have a right to know the truth.

[factsaboutchina]

08:53 AM on 04/06/2011

It is amazing how sensitive foreigners are. There's no crying in baseball. Whatever she said was probably true - people take the most offense while they are called out on their personal (including countries) faults. And the previous poster is right, it is a diplomatic blunder for Ecuador.

[OneTop]

02:16 AM on 04/06/2011

Another ugly American incident

[messy]

08:59 AM on 04/06/2011

What's so ugly about the American side? She was telling the truth as she saw it to the State Department!!!! Isn't that what she's supposed to do?

[vascopyjama]

01:13 AM on 04/06/2011

This would never happen if Dick Cheney was still President.

[messy]

09:00 AM on 04/06/2011

We can't be sure. Dick Cheney was only president for like six hours.

[sean62965]

09:25 AM on 04/06/2011

I think it was more like 8 years. But, he was just the person with his fist in the puppet.

[KarlaElisa]

12:23 AM on 04/06/2011

Good for Correa. He needs to sweep the vipers from his country. They will do nothing but attempt to see him overthrown.

[keep it solid]

05:22 AM on 04/06/2011

"good for correa" ?
how is this good? If anything, it is a dilpomatic blunder on part of Ecuador.
While Ecuador awaits its illegal immigrants to report police corruption and REWARDS them, it expects "satisfactory explanations" from a diplomat that reports police corruption in a classified cable to his/her department?
Ecuador does have a police corruption problem, which is not only common knowledge but big enough for the government to put out a hotline and grant citizenship to illegal immigrants (in Ecuador) that report it.
U.S. ambassador Heather Hodges did her job correctly and reported a problem that is common knowledge.

[KarlaElisa]

04:53 PM on 04/06/2011

given that ecuador is going the way of venezuela in nationalizing their resources, it's a matter of time before the US pulls something to see correa ousted. its what we DO...over and over and over. take some time to learn about the history between the US and South America. our imperialistic arrogance and need to dominate everybody's everything will make you ill. or, maybe not. maybe you'll think stealing others resources and enslaving them thru the IMF is great policy for the USA.

[messy]

09:00 AM on 04/06/2011

Telling the truth to your government is a GOOD thing. How is she a "viper?"

[Kim Goddard]

10:55 PM on 04/05/2011

Persona non grata, that has got to hurt. Must have been something she said

[messy]

09:01 AM on 04/06/2011

yeah, the truth!!!!

[ark72]

10:24 PM on 04/05/2011

This is unfortunate for several reasons. One is that the Galapagos Islands - one of the greatest natural areas on Earth and part of Ecuador - may have a negative impact.

One should always think through the consequences.

[joseph449008]

06:17 PM on 04/12/2011

Why? This probably has zero impact on the Galapagos Islands.

[Mister Grumpy]

09:59 PM on 04/05/2011

Geez......... and people get all upset because wikileaks disclosed them as the liars that they are..........

[bobo5]

08:55 PM on 04/05/2011

I wonder if we will retaliate for this with new papaya tarifs.

[aFtersootdamP]

08:50 PM on 04/05/2011

The obama regime's reset button is doing its job. obama continues to sink in the eyes of the other world governments. but he's still po;ular with the populace. Too bad you can't negotiate with them.

[Edward Standley]

08:41 PM on 04/05/2011

So our diplomats report back to Washington with information that's true, the host country gets po'd and kicks 'em out. Tough Schlitz. Come on home, and if Ecuador wants something, they'll call.

[aFtersootdamP]

08:52 PM on 04/05/2011

ecuador is an ally of venezuela. If they want something they will ask the enemies of America for it.

[CrazyEyes]

09:03 PM on 04/05/2011

You have a loose definition of enemy.

[Edward Standley]

09:13 PM on 04/05/2011

Seems like Ecuador has some decisions to make. They are "embarrassed" that the world has seen cables that simply verify what everybody already knew. Big deal. They can either get over their "embarrassment" or not. If they want to ask favors of Chavez, I guess that's their prerogative also.

[pandag]

08:37 PM on 04/05/2011

(...2nd part)
Or, for more fun & games: http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2011/03/10/10greenwire-ecuadors-us-ambassador-speaks-out-on-chevron-c-86771.html "The Ecuadorean ambassador to Washington has launched a defense of his country's judicial system following a U.S. federal judge's decision Tuesday that would prevent indigenous plaintiffs from enforcing an $8.6 billion judgment against oil giant Chevron Corp. The long-running case focuses on alleged oil pollution in the Lago Agrio area of Ecuador caused by Texaco Petroleum Corp., which was acquired by Chevron in 2001."

And check out this link: http://chevrontoxico.com/ and pay close attention to their reference of the 60 Minute story "Amazon Crude" and "Chevron attempt to corrupt Eucador Trial". I first became aware of this travesty through the 60 Minute "Amazon Crude" which is stomach turning. The arrogance of this huge company is biblical in proportion. Saw one small article in newspaper about the NY court ruling, but rest assured I have not been witness to this as a legitimate news story by our esteemed broadcasters, however, if I could deal with the ridiculous in broadcast news I could tell you lots about Charlie Sheen, an unfortunate individual considered valid news by the likes of ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC & CNN, sorry if I forgot anyone, well there is Faux News and The National Enquirer but this is soup de jour for them. So, any tidy story and headline like this is somewhat suspect IMO.