MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

New Ecuador government struggles for legitimacy

Ecuador's new Foreign Minister Antonio Parra Gil said Sunday that ousted President Lucio Gutierrez was allowed to leave the country on the understanding he could be extradited to face any charges brought against him.

Mr. Gutierrez and his family arrived Sunday in Brasilia where they have been granted political asylum. The former president was forced out of office during a week of street protests against his increasingly unpopular government. However the legality of his ousting is still controversial and the incoming authorities headed by former vice president Alfredo Palacio face strong international pressure for advancing elections (scheduled October 2006) to legitimize the political process and end diplomatic isolation.

Last Wednesday, Mr. Gutierrez was sacked by Congress appealing to an instrument of dubious constitutionality: with 62 legislators present out of a full house of a hundred, 60 voted to oust him arguing Mr. Gutierrez had "abandoned his post" though at the time he was in his office in the Carondelet presidential palace.

The vote was taken when the palace was surrounded by angry protestors and the Armed Forces that were supposed to impede any outburst of violence simply walked away.

Since his ouster, opponents of Mr. Gutierrez had gathered around the Brazilian embassy where he had taken refuge to prevent his departure demanding he should go on trial, but their numbers dwindled considerably and early Sunday heavily armed police spirited him to an air base south of Quito where he was flown to Brazil. Street demonstrations erupted in Quito two weeks ago demanding the resignation of president Gutierrez for what critics described as his increasing abuse of power and meddling with the independence of the Supreme Court by appointing allies as judges.

Mr. Gutierrez who served jail time for leading a coup in 2000 insists he was ousted illegally, and the new authorities say they acted according to the Constitution and want to remain until January 2007.

He's the third elected president to be ousted of office in the last eight years.

Many Ecuadoreans say the spontaneous protests reflected their deep frustration with corrupt and old fashioned political leadership. Many protestors were demanding that the whole Congress be sacked and several members were physically attacked.

But the new authorities don't have an easy ride ahead: the international community is wary of accepting the legitimacy of Mr. Gutierrez sacking. Washington, Europe and several leading Latinamerican countries have suggested early elections and this week Foreign Affairs ministers from the hemisphere will be arriving to Quito for a in situ assessment of the situation.

President Palacio, a cardiologist, has virtually no political militancy and no political party behind him. Economy Minister Rafael Correa is a controversial figure who has publicly called for de-dollarization of the Ecuadorean economy and has a radical position regarding foreign debt. Interior Minister Mauricio Gandara is also considered a controversial figure for his strong anti-Washington stance and his rejection of the Plan Colombia to combat the drug trade in the neighbouring country.

United States has one of its main bases to screen flights in the hemisphere in the Ecuadorean city of Manta.