New constitution set to bolster Ecuador's Correa

[Judi Lynn]

New constitution set to bolster Ecuador's Correa
Fri Jun 20, 2008 10:42am EDT
By Enrique Andres Pretel and Alonso Soto

MONTECRISTI, Ecuador (Reuters) - Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa will bolster his authority this year if voters approve a new constitution extending state control over the economy and opening the way for his possible re-election.

If ratified in a referendum, opponents fear the new constitution could stunt much-needed investment in South America's No. 5 oil producer and undermine key institutions already susceptible to political interference.

The constitutional changes hint at leftist Correa's long-term plans for the OPEC member, where controlling the economy -- and therefore cash flow to the military -- is key to survival after his three predecessors were toppled by street protests and congressional turmoil.

Correa, a popular former economy minister who says he wants to wrest power from corrupt elites, already has foreign investors jittery over his drive to renegotiate oil and mining deals. He pledges to annul some foreign debt, which he brands as "illegitimate" deals signed by past governments.

Alberto Acosta, head of the government-controlled assembly rewriting the constitution, told Reuters it will allow the state to take a majority stake in oil and mining deals though it is still unclear how that will happen.

"We have to regain the state's role in those sectors," said Acosta, a close Correa ally. "We would like joint ventures ... with a state majority stake, but there could be exceptions."

More:
http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN2042533520080620?rpc=401&&pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

[Peace Patriot]

1. Reuters has outdone itself in imitating the Associated Pukes on blatantly prejudiced

writing that does not deserve the word "journalism." What we are reading here is blatant global corporate predator propaganda.

Just consider sentence #2 ("If ratified in a referendum, opponents fear the new constitution could stunt much-needed investment...".)--interpolated into a 'news' article before anyone who is for the new Constitution has anything to say about it, and this just after Reuters itself has characterized the Constitution in their own words as "bolstering his authority" (the mantra of the corporate rulers is that these new left leaders are "authoritarian"), extending "state control" (the boogey man of Stalinism), and, finally--their coup de grace--"opening the way for his possible re-election" (oh, horrors! Another "President for Life"--like FDR!).

Next sentence: It will "stunt" investment. Omitted: The Chavez government (to which they refer later in the article)--"authoritarian," "dictator," "tyrant" (according to Donald Rumsfeld* and the Associated Pukes et al)--has produced a nearly TEN PERCENT growth rate in the last five years, with the MOST growth in the PRIVATE sector (not including oil!).

With increased profits for the Ecuadoran people from their oil reserves, infusions of that cash into the economy in the form forward-looking programs in education, medical care, small business development, infrastructure development, development of local manufacturing, assistance to the dirt poor, land reform, and regional investment (Chavez inspired Bank of the South), and regional trade (UNASUR, Mercosur, ALBA)--with such infusions of cash NECESSITATING a strong president with the power to restructure the economy (like FDR's New Deal)--Ecuador will MOST LIKELY GO in the direction of Venezuela, toward profound improvement in the economy and in society.

This so-called 'news' article goes on like for the length of the article. Black holes of missing context. Disinformation. Global corporate predator opinion injected with no attribution.

It is an appalling piece of work!

And now I shall go visit www.BoRev.com to cleanse myself. Did you see the pix of Rafael Correa they have up there? Check it out...
http://www.borev.net/2008/06/so_help_me_if_they_so_much_as.html


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*"The Smart Way to Beat Tyrants Like Chávez," by Donald Rumsfeld, 12/1/07
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/30/AR2007113001800.html

(Iraq deja vus all over again.)

[Judi Lynn]

2. Yep, they TELL you how you are supposed to see the information, rather than just

laying out the actual information without interpretation, emotional, psychological coloring.

The old "who, when, what, where, and why" routine should be at the very least, given lip service first before they start piling on their (((((( spin )))))). Currently it appears they just can't afford to risk allowing people to come to their own conclusions.

Sad to witness something this flagrant being pushed as "newswriting," isn't it? I wish more people realized what a horrendous insult this is to everyone.