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UNCLAS QUITO 000160 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR EC
SUBJECT: CORREA INAUGURATION: USDEL CONVEYS MESSAGE OF 
FRIENDSHIP 
 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  The U.S. delegation to the inauguration 
of Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa headed by Commerce 
Secretary Carlos Gutierrez effectively conveyed a message of 
 
SIPDIS 
friendship and respect between the U.S. and Ecuador.  That 
message was warmly received both publicly and privately here, 
but top billing went to Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales, who 
joined Correa for several public events.  Other world 
leaders, including Iranian President Ahmadinejad, kept lower 
profiles.  End Summary. 
 
Sec. Gutierrez Meets with Business and Political Leaders 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Between official inauguration events, Secretary 
Gutierrez met privately with Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda 
Espinosa, Peruvian President Alan Garcia, Nicaraguan 
President Daniel Ortega, Argentinean Vice President Daniel 
Scioli, and Uruguayan Vice President Rodolfo Nin Novoa 
(SepTels).  He also conducted two roundtables for leading 
U.S. and Ecuadorian business leaders including leaders of 
IBM, Pfizer, General Motors and Citibank, as well as the 
heads of all major Ecuadorian business chambers.  Business 
leaders expressed their thanks for USG efforts to extend ATPA 
trade preferences and asked if the extension could be 
lengthened.  Sec. Gutierrez responded that he understood the 
importance of ATPA for Ecuador and the region and the 
administration would continue to work with Congress on the 
issue.  Some business leaders were deeply concerned that 
Correa would impose radical changes and called for U.S. 
assistance.   Sec. Gutierrez said that the U.S. wants good 
relations with the new administration, that the tone of the 
dialogue is important, and that the business leaders, as 
Ecuadorians, would be best placed to influence Correa. 
 
Inauguration Atmosphere Rowdy 
----------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Correa supporters were jubilant at inauguration 
events.  They chanted, waved flags, blew indigenous horns and 
beat drums in the Congress gallery as Correa outlined his 
plans for a constituent assembly during his inaugural address 
(his specific policy agenda is outlined septel).  Correa, who 
sported a tieless embroidered shirt for some of the inaugural 
events, was greeted everywhere by cheering crowds; there were 
no reports of anti-Correa demonstrations or sentiment. 
Headlines and images on January 14 were dominated by Chavez, 
Morales and Correa, who attended an indigenous ceremony to 
bless the new president in the highlands town of Zumbahua, 
where Correa had served as a young man in the local Salesian 
mission.  January 15 images were more statesmanlike, showing 
a beaming Correa at the podium in the newly-renovated 
Congress building wearing the presidential sash and waving to 
supporters. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The inaugural party in historic San Francisco 
Convent was packed beyond capacity; rumors of counterfeit and 
recycled invitations circulated.  Worried security plowed 
through the crowds, upsetting drinks and tripping over lights 
and cords.  Earlier in the day, Ecuadorian security 
accidentally fired teargas in front of Congress and a 
bystander was wounded by another accidental discharge in a 
nearby park. 
 
World Leaders Assume Low Profiles 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U) Twelve heads of state attended Correa,s swearing-in: 
Philip, Prince of Asturias, Evo Morales (Bolivia), Luis 
Inacio Lula da Silva (Brazil), Michelle Bachelet (Chile), 
Alvaro Uribe (Colombia), Rene Preval (Haiti), Mahmoud 
Ahmadinejad (Iran), Daniel Ortega (Nicaragua), Oscar Nicanor 
Duarte (Paraguay), Alan Garcia (Peru), Hugo Chavez 
 
(Venezuela) and Mohamed Abdelaziz (Polisario Front). 
 
¶6.  (U) Evo Morales and Hugo Chavez not only attended the 
indigenous event in Zumbahua, which other world leaders 
skipped, but were the only heads of state to attend the 
ceremony swearing in Correa's cabinet.  Although prominently 
present, Chavez and Morales did not dominate the press with 
speeches or antics.  Chavez was warmly received at public 
events but limited his interaction with the crowds and did 
not try to upstage Correa by creating his own parallel events. 
 
¶7.  (U) Confirming his attendance at the last minute and 
arriving the morning of the swearing-in ceremony, Alvaro 
Uribe fell victim to a couple of Ecuadorian protocol gaffes. 
First, Ecuadorian security at the Congress building attempted 
to close the doors on him, since he arrived after Correa did. 
 Uribe's security blocked the doors open and literally shoved 
him into the chamber.  President of Congress, Jorge Cevallos, 
initially missed including Uribe when he opened the session 
by naming heads of state in attendance.  Cevallos later 
corrected his omission and Uribe received a warm round of 
applause from the audience.  Press reported that Uribe was 
jeered by some crowds. 
 
¶8.  (U) Da Silva, Bachelet, and Garcia came for only one day 
of the inauguration and made brief statements to the press. 
Bachelet received the warmest reception at public events, 
reflecting Ecuadorian goodwill towards her and admiration for 
Chile.  Ahmadinejad kept a relatively low profile, made some 
statements critical of the U.S. in a CNN interview, and did 
not appear jointly with Correa during his visit.  Prince 
Philip of Spain stole the show among world leaders.  His 
politics-free, movie star good looks guaranteed swarming 
crowds pressing to get photos and shake his hand.  He 
prominently attended a mass for families of Ecuadorian 
victims of the recent ETA bombing in Spain, which garnered 
even more sympathetic press and the public appreciation of 
President Correa. 
 
Media Reaction to USDel Positive 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  (U) After noting the overwhelming coverage garnered by 
Chavez and Morales, Secretary Gutierrez decided to reverse 
his earlier decision to refrain from engaging the media 
(beyond his arrival statement) and conducted a series of 
short interviews  expressing the USG's message of continued 
friendship and cooperation on a wide range of issues with the 
GOE.  When asked about trade issues, Secretary Gutierrez 
highlighted the USG%s desire to foster growth and strengthen 
ties through expanded trade and other programs, while 
respecting President Correa's decision that a free trade 
agreement is not opportune at this time.  He stressed that 
much more tied the two countries together than just trade 
issues.  When asked about President Correa's perceived 
closeness to Hugo Chavez, Secretary Gutierrez responded that 
he was focusing on U.S. ) Ecuador relations and that as a 
sovereign nation Ecuador was free to have relations with any 
country it wishes. 
 
¶10.  (U) Secretary Gutierrez gave interviews to the two 
largest newspapers in Ecuador, "El Universo" and "El 
Comercio."  He also gave interviews to a national radio 
station, Radio Quito, and three major television stations, 
Ecuavisa, Teleamazonas, and TC Television.  Secretary 
Gutierrez gave statements and answered questions outside of 
two bilateral meetings and delivered a widely covered arrival 
statement. 
 
¶11.  (U) Media reaction was generally positive to the USDel. 
El Universo, ran a headline on January 16 reading "Carlos 
Gutierrez: There Are Themes That Unite Us" and quoted 
 
Secretary Gutierrez on January 15 saying "our countries are 
 
SIPDIS 
friends" and "we hope for mutual benefit".  El Comercio ran 
the same quotes on January 15 and headlined January 16 with 
"U.S. Shows Itself Conciliatory and Cautious With the New 
Government."  TV and radio coverage of the Secretary's 
statements was extensive and similarly positive. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶12.  (U) Secretary Gutierrez and his team did a masterful job 
through both public and private diplomacy of conveying USG 
openness and friendship with Ecuador and its people. 
JEWELL