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| Correa revels in high-profile role but puts spotlight on freedoms at home | Correa revels in high-profile role but puts spotlight on freedoms at home |
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| While Julian Assange was not a household name in Ecuador before this week, figures from across the political spectrum have rallied round the government of Rafael Correa over the perceived threat from the Foreign Office against the country's embassy in London. | While Julian Assange was not a household name in Ecuador before this week, figures from across the political spectrum have rallied round the government of Rafael Correa over the perceived threat from the Foreign Office against the country's embassy in London. |
| For many, granting asylum to the WikiLeaks founder has became a matter of principle in order to defend the country's sovereignty. Correa dedicated a large part of his regular Saturday television and radio broadcast to the subject, saying that if Ecuador had threatened to enter a foreign embassy, other countries would have accused him of being a dictator. | For many, granting asylum to the WikiLeaks founder has became a matter of principle in order to defend the country's sovereignty. Correa dedicated a large part of his regular Saturday television and radio broadcast to the subject, saying that if Ecuador had threatened to enter a foreign embassy, other countries would have accused him of being a dictator. |
| "They haven't found out that the Americas are free and sovereign and that we don't accept meddling and colonialism of any kind," he said. "They don't know who they are dealing with." Sweden had not given enough guarantees that it would not be extraditing Assange to a third country, he said, and the Ecuadorean government wanted to give him protection. | "They haven't found out that the Americas are free and sovereign and that we don't accept meddling and colonialism of any kind," he said. "They don't know who they are dealing with." Sweden had not given enough guarantees that it would not be extraditing Assange to a third country, he said, and the Ecuadorean government wanted to give him protection. |
| With his country suddenly playing a key role in a high-profile diplomatic standoff, many analysts believe Correa is likely to use the case to build capital at home ahead of next year's presidential election, when he is expected to run again. | With his country suddenly playing a key role in a high-profile diplomatic standoff, many analysts believe Correa is likely to use the case to build capital at home ahead of next year's presidential election, when he is expected to run again. |
| But writing in the opposition newspaper El Comercio, columnist Marco Arauz suggested that in the long term the row may count against Correa. "By drawing the world's attention with this superhuman effort in Assange's favour, the government will revive the debate over its own intolerance against the independent press," he wrote. El Comercio, openly hostile to Correa, is one of several privately owned media organisations that have born the brunt of the president's hostility. | But writing in the opposition newspaper El Comercio, columnist Marco Arauz suggested that in the long term the row may count against Correa. "By drawing the world's attention with this superhuman effort in Assange's favour, the government will revive the debate over its own intolerance against the independent press," he wrote. El Comercio, openly hostile to Correa, is one of several privately owned media organisations that have born the brunt of the president's hostility. |
| César Ricaurte, the executive director of the Quito-based media watchdog Fundamedios, said that his organisation has registered 533 attacks on journalists in Ecuador since 2008, 100 of them this year. Twenty radio and television stations have been shut. Ricaurte said the panorama for journalists in Ecuador is "increasingly asphyxiating". | César Ricaurte, the executive director of the Quito-based media watchdog Fundamedios, said that his organisation has registered 533 attacks on journalists in Ecuador since 2008, 100 of them this year. Twenty radio and television stations have been shut. Ricaurte said the panorama for journalists in Ecuador is "increasingly asphyxiating". |
| "We've suffered five years of constant harassment and persecution which begins with the president's own hostile discourse," said Ricaurte. Human rights groups say only Cuba has a worse record in the Americas on press freedom. | "We've suffered five years of constant harassment and persecution which begins with the president's own hostile discourse," said Ricaurte. Human rights groups say only Cuba has a worse record in the Americas on press freedom. |
| One of the latest incidents reported to Fundamedios involved the editor of the local newspaper La Hora, who had written critical editorials about the granting of asylum to Assange. Orlando Gomez, also a correspondent for the Colombian magazine Semana, said a man stepped off the back of a motorcycle at a road junction, asked if he was Mr Gomez then smashed his car window with an iron bar. | One of the latest incidents reported to Fundamedios involved the editor of the local newspaper La Hora, who had written critical editorials about the granting of asylum to Assange. Orlando Gomez, also a correspondent for the Colombian magazine Semana, said a man stepped off the back of a motorcycle at a road junction, asked if he was Mr Gomez then smashed his car window with an iron bar. |
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