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