The disappointment of a successor
As Rafael Correa leaves for Belgium, he does so with a heavy heart.
A wedge has been placed in the partnership of President Lenin Moreno and his predecessor and allied, Rafael Correa. After months of campaign and complete support, a break between both leftist leaders has erupt over social media and threatens the ruling party, “Alianza País”.
The origin of this break comes from Moreno’s invitation towards the opposition and social groups that were once critics of Correa’s government. The ex-president, known for being belligerent, has made his reproach and disappointment over said action publicly known.
This tension can be traced back to when Moreno granted a 100-year lease on two properties to indigenous groups which, under Correa’s administration, had raised criminal charges as retaliation to protests.
This change of tone, according to some, is due to the dire economic and financial situation that the current Ecuadorian president inherited from the past administration. Social programs ran a stiff tab and the fall in oil and gas prices, Ecuador’s main source of income, have left Moreno with little to no choice but to approach political parties and social groups across the aisle.
Furthermore, the courts and media have shined a new light on a network of corrupt officials who embezzled around $30 million dollars from Odebrecht in exchange for government contracts; Vice President Jorge Glas, one of the Correa’s main executives and Moreno’s running mate, has been linked to this network.
At this point in time, the ball is in Correa’s court. He can either chose to defuse or escalate this conflict. The ex-president is planning on spending the next couple of years in Europe with his family so that could leave Moreno with the opportunity to implement his government plan without having to look over his shoulder.
LatinAmerican Post | Ricardo Avella
Copy edited by Susana Cicchetto
