VZCZCXYZ0008
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHQT #0559 0672153
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 082153Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY QUITO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6514
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA PRIORITY 6515
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 2437
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAR 0485
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA PRIORITY 1493
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL PRIORITY 2028

UNCLAS QUITO 000559 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO APER PHUM PREL EC
SUBJECT: GOE CRITICAL OF HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT 2006 
 
REF: A) STATE 21092 B) STATE 27773 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary:   The Correa Government publicly criticized 
our recently-released human rights report detailing problems 
in Ecuador, challenging our competency to judge human rights. 
That said, GOE objections were more muted than last year, 
under the Palacio Government.  Ecuadorian press reaction has 
been factual, highlighting the problems the report cites, and 
noting that overall, human rights conditions in Ecuador have 
improved somewhat.  End summary. 
 
GOE Reaction Better Than Last Year 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs March 7, the GOE reiterated "its traditional position 
that the Department of State lacks the competency and the 
international mandate to judge and issue value judgments 
regarding the fulfillment of human rights in the countries 
examined."  Unlike in 2005, when then-FM Carrion repeatedly 
and publicly criticized the report, official commentary 
against the report ended there.  Neither Correa nor the 
Foreign Minister made any public comments.  The remainder of 
the statement described how Ecuador was dealing with human 
rights issues and noted the government's efforts to improve 
the professionalism of the police, determination to fight 
corruption and its improved record fighting trafficking in 
persons. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Prior to the release of the statement, Poloff met 
with Augusto Saa, MFA Director General for Human Rights and 
Social Issues.  Saa said that Ecuador was "required to 
respond to the Human Rights Report chapter on Ecuador based 
on the normalities of a bilateral diplomatic relationship," 
(whatever that means) but said the GOE'sresponse would not be 
inflammatory.  Saa reported that the Ministry wanted to be 
constructive and sought to "contribute to the discourse" 
regarding human rights in Ecuador and around the world. 
 
Press Reaction Less Prickly 
--------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U) Press coverage of the report following its release on 
March 7 focused on the reports description of corruption and 
the weaknesses of Ecuador's judicial system.  Major national 
daily El Universo's page two caption on the report read "the 
country is affected by corruption and a vulnerable justice 
system."  Some articles noted that the U.S. included some 
self-critical language as part of the release this year.  In 
general, press coverage was factual, with some publications 
concluding that the overall picture in Ecuador had improved 
over the last year. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The Correa government's nationalistic objections to 
the report aside, the GOE's reaction has been most 
interesting for its restraint in comparison to an even less 
civil predecessor.  It helps that relative to its neighbors, 
Ecuador's human rights situation looks reasonably good, and 
that the Correa government is committed to reform of the 
police and other weak institutions.  That restraint will be 
more seriously tested next year, when we will report on human 
rights conditions under the Correa Government. 
 
JEWELL