VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHQT #0375 1411734
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 211734Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY QUITO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0393
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 8151
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 4179
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3550
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAY LIMA 3207
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 4332

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000375 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: TWENTY YEARS 
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU EC
SUBJECT: ECUADOR - RESPONSE TO LIBERTAD ACT REVIEW 
 
REF: STATE 48487 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Heather M. Hodges for Reasons 1.4 (...




id: 208195
date: 5/21/2009 17:34
refid: 09QUITO375
origin: Embassy Quito
classification: CONFIDENTIAL
destination: 09STATE48487
header:
VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHQT #0375 1411734
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 211734Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY QUITO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0393
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 8151
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 4179
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3550
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAY LIMA 3207
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 4332


----------------- header ends ----------------

C O N F I D E N T I A L QUITO 000375 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: TWENTY YEARS 
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU EC
SUBJECT: ECUADOR - RESPONSE TO LIBERTAD ACT REVIEW 
 
REF: STATE 48487 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Heather M. Hodges for Reasons 1.4 (b&d) 
 
¶1.  (C) The Embassy provides the following information on the 
relationship between the Cuban government and Ecuador in 
response to reftel. 
 
¶2.  (C) Ecuador has not worked to promote the advancement of 
democracy and human rights in Cuba, nor has it undertaken 
governmental action to condemn human rights abuses or to 
support civil society in Cuba.  On the contrary, President 
Correa and members of his cabinet paid an official visit to 
Cuba in January 2009, during which Correa declared himself an 
unconditional ally of Cuba.  He commended the Cuban 
revolution and claimed it had succeeded in ensuring human 
rights for all Cubans.  Correa has since also made several 
calls for the U.S. to end its "blockade" against Cuba. 
 
¶3.  (C) According to press reports, 100 Ecuadorians received 
scholarships for study in Cuba in 2008, especially in 
medicine, and a similar number of scholarships have been 
issued annually.  Some government officials are known to have 
studied in Cuba. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Ecuador does not have significant economic or 
political interests in Cuba.  During Correa's official trip 
to Cuba in January 2009, the two countries signed nine 
bilateral agreements in the areas of health, trade, culture, 
sports, science and technology, electricity and renewable 
energy, economic cooperation, reciprocal visa treatment for 
government officials, and political consultations.  An MOU to 
negotiate expansion of the economic cooperation agreement 
between the two countries was also signed.  Cuban doctors 
also operate within Ecuador. 
 
¶5.  (C) Comment:  The signing of cooperation agreements 
between Ecuador and Cuba does not necessarily signal 
increased cooperation in the future.  Ecuador has signed 
agreements with many countries which have been largely 
political and symbolic in nature. 
HODGES 

=======================CABLE ENDS============================