Correa has called for a renegotiation of Ecuador's $11 billion external debt,[19] following the example of Argentine President Néstor Kirchner. Some commentators suggest that the Argentine experiment has proven to be a success.[20]
In his inaugural address on 15 January, Correa stated his belief that much of Ecuador's external debt is illegitimate, because it was contracted by military regimes.[21] He also denounced the "so-called Washington Consensus."[22] Correa has threatened to default on Ecuador's foreign debt, and to suspend review of the country's economy by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund;[23] indeed, on 26 April 2006, he ordered the expulsion from Ecuador of the World Bank's country manager.[24]
Correa's administration has suggested that the new government will not sign an agreement allowing the International Monetary Fund to monitor its economic plan. In February 2007, Correa's economy minister Ricardo Patiño stated: "I have no intention ... of accepting what some governments in the past have accepted: that (the IMF) tell us what to do on economic policy." "That seems unacceptable to us," Patiño added.[25]
In February 2007, Correa's plan to have a referendum on the convening of a constituent assembly was approved by Congress. The referendum was planned for 15 April 2007. However, after this date was set, the "statutes" for the referendum were modified by Correa to allow more powers to the constitutional assembly (if it formed).[26] One of these powers was the ability to dismiss Congress, a power which Congress never approved. The newer version of the referendum was approved by the majority of the seven-seat electoral tribunal. In early March, Congress, which was primarily controlled by Correa's opposition, reacted by attempting to impeach four members of the electoral tribunal.[27] The electoral tribunal, in turn, responded by removing from office the 57 members of Congress who voted against the referendum, alleging that they were obstructing electoral processes. Correa backed the electoral tribunal (which approved his version of the referendum) while stating that the removal of the 57 congressmen was constitutional. The situation escalated to a feud between the opposition in Congress and the Executive and marches in the street against Congress, including the shooting of Correa's opposition supporters. [28] [29]
On 22 March, 21 alternate deputies were sworn in, allowing the Congress to regain quoracy, and on 23 March and 24 March a further 20 deputies were sworn in. The new majority (formed by 28 alternate deputies and 31 deputies from parties that support the referendum and Assembly) pledged to support the referendum on the Constitutional Assembly. [30] On 15 April Ecuadoreans voted overwhelmingly (78 % in favor) to support the election of a constitutional assembly.
On 23 April, the Constitutional Tribunal decided to try to reinstate 51 of the 57 Congressmen who had been thrown out office by the Electoral Tribunal. The Constitutional Tribunal claims that it was illegal to remove them in the first place, and thus they approved a petition that 51 of the 57 had signed requesting their reinstatement. [31] Before the supposedly reinstated congressmen had the chance to enter back into Congress, Congress voted to fire all nine judges of the Constitutional Tribunal for their "unconstitutional actions." [32]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafael_Correa>What action did you found funny?
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>>His actions so far are hilarious:
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafael_Correa
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"When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser." - Socrates
Vita contingit, Vive cum eo. (Life Happens, Live With it.)
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." -- author unknown
"De omnibus dubitandum"
