Ecuador’s president Rafael Correa on Wednesday accused Colombia of participating in a “dirty smear campaign” during his country’s recent elections.
Correa was reelected on Sunday in the first round of voting as he secured 56.8% of the votes overcoming what he called a “smear campaign” with “external financing even from Colombia.” Correa said that during his new term he would make foreign policy that prevents such international finagling a priority.
The leftist president received modest competition from conservative banker Guillermo Lasso who received 22.9%. The defeated candidate, has in turn accused Correa of dirty politics.
“Enough! I know that I have become a threat to those who want to stay in power, to those who want to restrict freedoms in Ecuador,” said Lasso.
“In democracy one respects the losers, but the majority opinion applies,” said Correa who will take up his new term on May 24.
Correa said that he will continue to confront the “mediocre and corrupt” private press, and try to destabablize it along with other groups opposed to his rule. The Ecuadorean president has already drafted a new law regarding communication.
“All we ask for is a decent press, with ethics, to report and to communicate, not to manipulate and engage in politics,” said the reelected president.
Sources
- Correa denuncio “campaña sucia” desde Colombia durante los elecciones (El Espectador)
- Ecuador: candidato opositor Correa denuncia campaña sucia (globedia.com)
- Correa promete firmeza ante “oposición golpista y prensa corrupta” (AFP)
