Se advierte que por falta de un pronunciamiento de Washington, luego
del 19 de febrero, hay la impresión en Ecuador de que los funcionarios
no estaban actuando apropiadamente y merecían la expulsión.

id:
196191
date:
3/10/2009 22:56
refid:
09QUITO176
origin:
Embassy Quito
classification:
SECRET//NOFORN
destination:
09QUITO145|09QUITO153|09QUITO160
header:
VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB
 
DE RUEHQT #0176/01 0692256
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 102256Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY QUITO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0161
INFO RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 8030
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 4101
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 3449
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAR LIMA 3095
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 4185
RHEFHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 2274
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
 
----------------- header ends ----------------
 
S E C R E T QUITO 000176 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: TWENTY YEARS 
TAGS: PREL, SNAR, KCRM, PTER, EC 
SUBJECT: GOE PEACE OVERTURES, THEN ANTI-U.S. JABS 
 
REF: A. QUITO 160 
     B. QUITO 153 
     C. QUITO 145 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Heather Hodges for reason 1.4 (D) 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY:  The past week has seen President Correa 
veer from an awkward attempt to propose a new relationship 
with the U.S. to outbursts against the use of polygraphs and 
insinuations that the U.S. Embassy activities did not square 
with the Obama administration's policy.  He also reiterated 
that one of the expelled U.S. Embassy officers was the CIA 
station chief.  The anti-polygraph remarks may be a roadblock 
to future bilateral counternarcotics cooperation, while the 
GOE rhetoric overall is harmful to Ecuadorian public 
perceptions of the U.S. global role.  End Summary. 
 
A CHARM OFFENSIVE OF A SORT 
 
2.  (C) In line with the MFA meetings with the Ambassador 
(Refs A and C), President Correa appeared to be trying to 
send a positive message on March 5 about his interest in a 
constructive relationship with the Obama Administration. 
Speaking at the inauguration of the Prosecutor General's 
"justice house" facility, located in the former U.S. Embassy 
building, he first quoted Abraham Lincoln on having 
confidence in the justice of the people.  Correa said that no 
one in his right mind would underestimate the value of 
brotherly relations with an admirable and generous people 
like those of the U.S.  Noting that many Ecuadorians have 
studied in U.S. universities, he recognized the creativity 
and contributions of Whitman, Faulkner, Edison, Martin Luther 
King, Angela Davis, Lincoln, and so many other Americans that 
had contributed to the progress of humanity. 
 
3.  (SBU) Correa said such Americans were very different from 
those that had caused conflicts, such as what recently 
happened with U.S. officials.  He insisted that the U.S. 
Embassy officials offended Ecuador with "foul practices of 
agencies and departments that contradicted the policy stated 
by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton."  He described 
Obama/Clinton policy as one of "peace, reconciliation, 
consensus, and respect for the self-determination and 
especially sovereignty of the peoples of the world." 
 
4.  (SBU) Correa then quoted from the response POTUS sent to 
Correa's letter of congratulations:  "I am confident that we 
can work together in a spirit of peace and friendship to 
build a more secure world."  He said the GOE desires a 
brotherly relationship while, at the same time, reaffirming 
its determination never to permit violation of its 
sovereignty, demands for information, foreign military bases, 
or false protectorates.  Correa called for a "relationship of 
respect between our peoples," separately from the power they 
enjoyed.  He appeared to be reading from a prepared text, 
which was unusual for him. 
 
5.  (SBU) In a similar vein, Foreign Minister Fander Falconi 
highlighted the GOE's interest in a solid and stable 
relationship with the U.S. and briefly referred to 
inappropriate U.S. interference during a March 4 television 
interview.  He called for a positive agenda with the U.S. 
focused on migration, poverty, inequality, and human rights. 
Falconi emphasized, "We want relations with the U.S. that are 
not only based on issues of security and counternarcotics, 
which is very important, but it is not the only issue." 
While acknowledging that GOE actions were tough, he said the 
Correa government did not want to generate a climate of 
belligerency with the U.S.  Falconi stressed the GOE's desire 
to build a relationship with the U.S. based on mutual respect 
and transparency in all international agreements. 
 
WEEKEND REMARKS COMPLICATE COUNTERNARCOTICS COOPERATION 
 
6.  (C) The GOE "charm offensive" did not last through the 
weekend.  First President Correa, recounting his appearance 
at the inauguration of the Prosecutor General's new facility 
during his March 7 radio/TV address, claimed he saw the 
polygraphs which the U.S. Embassy used to test Ecuadorian 
policemen in armored areas of the building.  He made clear he 
would not tolerate the use of polygraphs, saying, "What 
shame!  Never again!"  (Note:  Obviously no polygraph 
equipment was left at the former U.S. Embassy building.  USG 
officials who visited Ecuador to do polygraphs used other 
locations and carried their equipment with them.  End Note.) 
 
7.  (S/NF) In a radio interview on March 8, Correa sounded 
even more stridently anti-American.  Again calling expelled 
U.S. Embassy official Mark Sullivan the CIA head, he claimed 
Sullivan had met with him after arrival, very polite and 
friendly, to discuss cooperation with police and military 
units.  Correa said he was willing at that time to continue 
cooperation, although the principal beneficiary would be the 
U.S.  He alleged that he told Sullivan that the GOE would not 
allow use of polygraphs.  Correa also reiterated during the 
interview allegations that the computers returned to the U.S. 
Embassy by the Specialized Operations Unit contained national 
security information of the Ecuadorian State.  (Note:  GRPO 
reporting indicates that these statements are inaccurate. 
End Note.) 
 
8.  (C) Correa's statements ruling out the use of polygraphs 
contradicts the message we took away from the Ambassador's 
meetings during the past two weeks with Coordinating Minister 
of Internal and External Security Miguel Carvajal and FM 
Falconi (Refs B-C).  Neither of them had expressed objections 
when the Ambassador made clear that vetting, including 
polygraphs, remained a condition for much of our 
counternarcotics cooperation.  To test the GOE's stated 
commitment to return to meaningful cooperation in 
counternarcotics, the Embassy will continue to pursue 
promised discussions with the GOE on a written agreement that 
includes Drug Enforcement Administration vetting. 
 
ECUADORIAN PUBLIC'S CONCLUSION:  USG GUILTY 
 
9.  (C) The public relations dynamic in Ecuador is not 
working in our favor.  Correa's continued condemnation of 
U.S. Embassy actions, combined with our lack of response 
since the Department statement on February 19, have led many 
Ecuadorians to conclude that U.S. Embassy officials were 
caught doing wrong and deserved expulsion.  Meanwhile, the 
Ambassador has continued doing business as usual, including 
inaugurations in Carchi province on March 6 of USAID projects 
and barracks for military who do counternarcotics work. 
Unfortunately, heavy media coverage of these routine events 
appeared to feed into the inaccurate public perception that 
the U.S. continues assisting the GOE because the expulsions 
of U.S. Embassy officials were warranted.  In the absence of 
U.S. clarification (via retaliation, explicit statements, or 
otherwise), Ecuadorians do not understand that U.S. Embassy 
officials were acting appropriately, consistent with verbal 
agreements and law enforcement best practices, and that GOE 
actions were out of line and harmed bilateral relations. 
 
COMMENT 
 
10.  (C) The GOE is trying to have it both ways:  look like 
it seeks good relations with the U.S. (which most Ecuadorians 
favor), while at the same time insisting that the new 
relationship would not resemble the old and that the Obama 
administration would not condone the actions of the two 
expelled Embassy officials. 
 
HODGES 
 
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