Ecuador's President Rafael Correa declared a state of emergency Saturday after increased activity the day before at the giant Cotopaxi volcano, giving the government greater leeway to mobilize financial resources in the event of an eruption.
Francis landed in Ecuador's capital Quito on Sunday to begin an eight-day tour of South America that will also include visits to Bolivia and Paraguay. On his first visit as pontiff to Latin America, the Argentina-born pope is scheduled to conduct masses in both Quito and the coastal city of Guayaquil before flying to Bolivia on Wednesday.
Thousands of people turned out for protest marches across Ecuador on Thursday to call for the ouster of President Rafael Correa just three days before a visit by Pope Francis. Full demonstrations were reported in the three biggest cities, Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca, as well as other smaller cities. Correa claimed a 'coup' was on the making.
Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa announced he would temporarily withdraw two controversial tax bills from the legislature, saying he would give the public time to debate them. The bills, which would have raised taxes on inheritances and capital gains, generated uproar that led to mass street protests in recent days.
US cinema star Brad Pitt has been invited by the Ecuadorian government to observe the pollution in the country's Amazon region allegedly caused by Chevron. President Rafael Correa announced the invitation in his regular weekend report, saying that the oil giant is in preparation of spearheading a film with the movie star about an alleged case against the company.
After meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican on Tuesday, the president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, told his two million Twitter followers that the pontiff had spoken enthusiastically about his coming visit to the country and had even told him a self-deprecating joke about the Argentines.
Unasur (Union of South American Nations) presidents will meet next week to respond to the grotesque and illegal meddling of the United States in Venezuelan affairs announced Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa.
At least eleven heads of state and government have confirmed their attendance at the opening ceremony of the World Cup, next Thursday (12th), in São Paulo, and a total of 20 leaders will be watching World Cup matches.
Foreign ministers from Unasur (Union of South American Nations) will be drafting a statement calling for peace and dialogue to end the month-long clashes in Venezuela when they be meeting on Wednesday in Santiago de Chile. The meeting and agenda have the support from the Venezuelan government.
Latin American foreign ministers and most probably presidents, will meet next week to discuss the unrest in Venezuela that has left at least 21 dead and hundreds injured and arrested following weeks of protests and clashes, according to the Ecuadorean president Rafael Correa.