Non-Subscriber Extract
Ecuador purges armed forces and police
11 April 2008
EVENT |
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Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa replaced his minister of defence and national police commander on 9 April as accusations of institutional collusion with foreign intelligence agencies plunged the armed forces and police into crisis. The joint chief of staff and the commanders of the army, navy and air force have also resigned. |
Correa publicly accused on 6 April the security forces of being "taken over by the CIA", saying Ecuadorian military intelligence officers had passed information to the United States CIA that was subsequently shared with the Colombian government and used to target a raid against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia: FARC) inside Ecuadorian territory on 1 March.
Correa is clearly using the crisis as a pretext for purging the armed forces and police and installing senior officers sympathetic to his political cause. It is also clear Quito is seeking to divert attention from a succession of embarrassing revelations in recent weeks of high-level Ecuadorian collusion with FARC.
FORECAST |
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With Correa loyalists installed, the purge is now likely to extend further into the senior and middle ranks of the armed forces and police, with alleged links to foreign intelligence agencies used as a pretext for extending Correa's political control. |