VZCZCXYZ0005
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSO #0814 2751637
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 021637Z OCT 07
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7541
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 8652
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 8370
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 2917

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000814 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD 
 
DEPT PASS USTR 
 
USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: WESTERN HEMISPHERE: ECUADOR; SAO PAULO 
 
 
"On Chvez's Path" 
 
Liberal, largest national circulation daily Folha de S. Paulo (10/2) 
editorialized: "Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa obtained Sunday a 
major victory by electing most of the members of the Constituent 
Assembly he had called.... The result places Correa on the heels of 
Evo Morales and Hugo Chvez in the race for what they have called 
'21st Century socialism,' which is a revival of old caudillo-led 
populism. The most probable outcome of the adventure on which the 
Ecuadorians are now embarking will be to scare away investments and 
worsen even more the nation's poverty and instability. The script 
has already been outlined.  Correa has stated that he intends to use 
the 'wide powers' given to the Assembly to close the Congress, which 
was elected with him in 2006.... If the Venezuelan model is 
repeated, what will come next are indefinite presidential 
reelections and the institution of the Executive tutelage over the 
Judiciary and the Legislature powers. So far, Correa is taking 
advantage of his high popularity. However, it is hard to say how 
long the honeymoon between the new president and the population will 
endure. Ecuador is usually unforgiving with leaders who are out of 
favor." 
White