This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS QUITO 000750 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL EC
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT AND FM TO TRAVEL TO ROME 
 
REF: A. QUITO 721 
 
     ¶B. QUITO 720 
 
¶1.  President Gutierrez plans to travel to Rome with First 
Lady Ximena Bohorquez and Foreign Minister Patricio 
Zuquilanda on April 6 to attend funeral services for Pope 
John Paul II.  Gutierrez will return to Ecuador on April 10. 
Zuquilanda will travel to Washington (for OAS SYG election) 
from Rome on April 10 and return to Ecuador on April 14. 
 
¶2.  On April 2, from his hometown of Tena, Gutierrez 
expressed condolences on the part of his government and the 
Ecuadorian people at the death of the Pope.  The GoE declared 
three days of mourning with flags flown at half-mast. 
Gutierrez attended a special mass for the Pope on April 3 at 
Quito's Cathedral, next to the Presidential palace.  Upon 
attempting to leave the mass, Gutierrez was met by hecklers 
upset at the return to Ecuador of controversial ex-President 
Abdala Bucaram and chose not to leave through the main door. 
 
¶3.  We recommend the Department coordinate with the 
Ecuadorian Embassy in Washington to arrange meetings with 
visiting FM Zuquilanda to discuss the Cuba resolution, OAS 
SYG election, our democracy concerns here, and trade issues 
per reftels. 
KENNEY