Ecuador does not deserve a new U.S. ambassador

Apparently, apropos of nothing, the Obama administration has decided to restore normal diplomatic relations with Ecuadorean radical populist Rafael Correa.  Shadow readers will recall that it was only last April that President Correa, in a fit of anti-American pique, expelled U.S. Ambassador Heather Hodges because of an innocuous comment in a Wikileaked cable about a corrupt senior police official.

Given the unceremonious departure and treatment of Ambassador Hodges, one would have assumed the announcement of her replacement would be accompanied by some sort of statement explaining why the administration deemed the moment appropriate to restore ambassadors. Have there been any commitment from the Correa government to abide by any notions of civil discourse? Any understanding that the U.S. ambassador isn’t there to be used as a stage prop in his populist theater? We are only left to wonder.

What is certain is that this inexplicable attempt to normalize relations now cannot be based on any recent change in Correa’s confrontational ruling style that has polarized Ecuador and undermined democratic institutions and rule of law.

He continues browbeating the media and the opposition and trampling on separation of powers – primarily the judiciary. (Moreover, the announcement of a new U.S. ambassador to Ecuador comes as an Iranian delegation is set to arrive in Quito to "discuss different issues including oil, gas and manufacturing power plant issues and sign different agreements.")

The problem with sending a new ambassador to Ecuador at this moment for no other reason than process is the egregiously bad signal it sends to both the Correa government and struggling democrats in Ecuador.

The message to Correa is that his anti-American agenda is cost-free, that he can hit the off-on switch on relations as it suits his political interests at the moment. He will also see he will not be held to account for his destructive, anti-democratic practices at home, which will only embolden him to press ahead further and harder in consolidating power and abusing his critics.

Ecuadorean democrats are no doubt bracing for the worst as well. They will clearly understand the meaning of this announcement: that Correa can do what he wants and there will be no repercussions.  In short, that they are alone.

Fortunately, there are members of the U.S. Senate that do care about freedom and democracy in the Americas and they will have an opportunity to have their say when the administration seeks Senate confirmation for their nominee. For example, Sens. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) have not been shy about letting the administration know how seriously they take the U.S. role in contesting authoritarianism in our hemisphere.  One hopes those consultations will present an opportunity for a full airing of views as to the current state of the U.S.-Ecuador relationship and whether it is an appropriate moment to return to business as usual.