Correa Against CIA, Death Squads and Oligarchy

Ecuadoran President Rafael Correa refused the American lease renewal of a military base in the city of Manta. The last U.S. military surveillance mission from Manta was flown on July 17, 2009. (Photo: Tomas Munita)

It is no exaggeration to say that the CIA, in league with death squads, has been involved in Ecuador since the infamous torture and assassination program known as “Condor” in the 1970s.

The New York Times reported on April 21, 2008:

“Mr. Correa — who this month dismissed his defense minister, army chief of intelligence and commanders of the army, air force and joint chiefs — said that Ecuador’s intelligence systems were “totally infiltrated and subjugated to the C.I.A.”

He accused senior military officials of sharing intelligence with Colombia, the Bush administration’s top ally in Latin America.

At the time, the US was alarmed that Correa, a democratically elected president and self-described advocate of Latin America’s independent New Left, might align his country with Venezuela, Bolivia and, of course, Cuba. Actually Correa was saying that he loved the United States but had to stand for national and continental independence. He called for a constituent assembly to redistribute power away from the oligarchy. He challenged Big Oil. He moved to eliminate a $60 million US military base at Manta which a jewel in the secret US-driven drug war. He also routed and replaced his intelligence and military leadership. And he faced down a countrywide coordinated attack on his presidential quarters by right-wing police and military officers.

For a hint of the dirty wars directed by the CIA for decades, please see the below CIA document:

ECUADOR PARTICIPATION IN OPERATION CONDOR - A COUNTERTERRORIST ORGANIZATION CO

Created: 2/14/1978

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

TW IS AM IN'QAMATIONNOT 'iNMf IVAlUATtD iNftgtOtwCt

)

Ik MIO-JANUAUT 8 ECUAOOR AGREED TO PARTICIPATE OUNTER TERRORISM ORGAN] J*P0SE0 OPSERVICES Of SEVERAL SOUTH AMERICAN. RtSPONSIBlLlTT FOR ECUADOR'S PARTICIPATION ANO CONDOR LIE *ITH THE ECUAOOREAN JOINT COMMAND OF THE HOnEVER. JOINT COMMAND MAS ASSUMED VARIOUSTO THE ARMY. RAW ANO AIR FORCE. PORARMY HE DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF INTELLIGENCE RESPONSIBLE FOR INTELLIGENCE REPORTING ANO the EXCHANGEAMONG VARIOUS CONDOR MEMBERS. THE NAVY IS TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND THE AIR FORCE IS RESPDNSIRLE WARFARE,COMMENT

3

9

INTELLIGENCE DIRECTORATE (OKI) OF ECUADOR -AS INCORPORATED INTO THE CONOOR ORGANIZATION MTH THEOF

2. AT PRESENT* AN ARGENTINE MILITARY OFflCCRC NIGRA (PHONETIC) IS IN QUITO SUPEHvISINC THE INSTALLATIONELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM IN TmE MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DETE^SE. JSWJI ww% COMMENT

ARGENTINE LIEUTENANT COLONEL LUISS CHIEF OF THE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM (CONOORTFD.) THIS EQUIPMENT IS ONTO ECUAOOR UNTIL ECUAOOR MAKES ITSPURCHASES. THE CHILEAN GOVERNMENT HAS OFFERED FOUR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR ECUADOREAN MILITARY OFFICERS TO ATTENO THE CHILEAN INTELLIGENCE SCHOOL IN SANTIAGO. J.