MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Ecuadoreans march in support of President Correa and Assange

An odd couple: President Correa and Assange

Hundreds of Ecuadoreans marched on Monday in support of the government's decision to grant asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in a saga that could help President Rafael Correa if he seeks re-election.

Ecuador is outraged at Britain for threatening to enter its embassy in London where the Australian anti-secrecy campaigner -- faced with extradition to Sweden for questioning over rape and sexual assault accusations -- has taken refuge.

There is also a wider power game at play between Ecuador and the bloc of populist Latin American governments it belongs to, and the United States.

Correa supports Assange's claim that he is at risk of being sent to the United States for punishment over Wikileaks' 2010 release of a deluge of US diplomatic cables and secret army documents.

Correa is already very popular and appears to be drawing more support with his stance on Assange. He has portrayed the standoff with London as a principled struggle between a small nation against a “colonial power.”

There have been small protests outside the British Embassy in Quiro, and graffiti has sprung up showing support for Correa.

Correa's government says it is open to negotiations with Britain and Sweden, but there have been no talks since Aug. 15.

Ecuador might take the case to the International Court of Justice, Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño said on Monday, but would prefer other alternatives like convincing London to allow Assange to travel to Ecuador or provide guarantees he would not be extradited to the United States if he is sent to Sweden.