Ecuador president Rafael Correa re-elected again

[rpannier]

Ecuador's president Rafael Correa has been elected to a third term in power.

The leftwing incumbent, who first took office in 2007 and was re-elected in 2009, won 58% of the vote, well ahead of his closest challenger, former banker Guillermo Lasso, with 24%.

snip

The 48-year-old Correa has raised living standards for the lower classes and widened the welfare state with region-leading social spending but critics including international human rights groups call him a bully.

Correa has brought uncharacteristic political stability to the oil-exporting nation of 14.6 million people that had been through seven presidents in the decade before him.

snip

Correa has eroded the influence of opposition parties, the Roman Catholic church and the news media and used criminal libel law to try to silence opposition journalists.

link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/18/ecuador-election-rafael-correa-victory

While I have some problem with his use of the libel laws, eroding the power of the Catholic Church, distancing himself from the US and re-writing contracts with Exxon so Ecuador gets a higher percentage of THEIR oil is a good thing.

[Enthusiast]

1. He might find himself

assassinated if he keeps the United States "at arms length".

I have no problem with Correa limiting the influence of the Roman Catholic church. The Roman Catholic Church has a horrible record of achievement in improving human rights and poverty in Latin America. Just look at the record.

[rpannier]

2. I don't know if I'd say horrible. It's kind of a mixed bag

Richard Dawkins pointed out that in Brazil and Chile in the 70's and 80's that they were an important anti-government (aka anti-military dictatorship) force.
El Salvador the Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez the Archbishop was murdered in his church as were many other priests and nuns
The Contras (you remember those freedom fighters) killed many nuns and priests

It's Argentina, Paraguay, Panama not so good.
I would mention that a lot of the anti-fascist support from the church came from many of the priests and bishops appointed prior to 1984.
I'm assuming that in Ecuador the history is the same as Paraguay

On a slightly different topic. If you get a chance (and haven't yet) check out the President of Uruguay. I was watching a program on him. Interesting guy

[Enthusiast]

3. I do remember nuns being killed

and raped in El Salvador back in the day. But I do not think they were following church policy. They were trying to preserve a tiny bit of civil justice so they found themselves in opposition to a ruthless right wing government.