Why does Ecuador want Assange out of its London embassy?

[struggle4progress]

Dan Collyns
Tue 15 May 2018 12.00 EDT
Last modified on Wed 23 May 2018 04.23 EDT

... his tweets in favour of Catalan independence are said to have annoyed the Spanish government, souring relations between Madrid and Quito ...

A poll in March showed 76.2% of Ecuadorians wanted the government to expel Assange from the embassy ...

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/15/ecuador-julian-assange-why-does-it-want-him-out-london-embassy

[struggle4progress]

1. Assange Hacked Ecuador Embassy Comms System

By Nicole Lafond
May 15, 2018 1:14 pm

As Ecuador funded a multi-million dollar effort to protect Wikileaks founder Julian Assange during his stay in the country’s London embassy, Assange returned the favor by hacking into the embassy’s communications system, the Guardian reported Tuesday.

According to a new Guardian report outlining the details of the spy operation designed to protect Assange, the Wikileaks founder’s hack allowed him to intercept professional and personal communications of the embassy staff and set up his own satellite internet. The Ecuadorian embassy was warned of Assange’s behavior in 2014 by a surveillance company that was hired to film Assange’s interaction with visitors.

Assange has been living at the Ecuadorian embassy in London since 2012 to avoid extradition by the Swedish government, where he was wanted for sexual assault. Those charges were dropped in May 2017, according to the Guardian. Assange is still living at the embassy because he is wanted for jumping bail in the United Kingdom, but longtime loyalist Rafael Correa, who was Ecuadorian president from 2007 to 2017, recently said Assange’s days of protection are “numbered” ...

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/assange-hacked-ecuador-embassy

[struggle4progress]

2. Assange 'split' Ecuador and Spain over Catalan independence

... Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said Assange’s support for the separatists, including a meeting in November, led to a backlash from Spain, which in turn caused deep concern within Ecuador’s government.

While Assange’s role in the US presidential election has been an intense focus of US prosecutors, his involvement in Spanish politics appears to have caused Ecuador the most pain.

The Ecuadorians cut Assange’s internet connection and ended his access to visitors on 28 March, saying he had breached an agreement at the end of last year not to issue messages that might interfere with other states ...

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/16/julian-assange-ecuador-spain-catalan-independence-meeting-separatists

[struggle4progress]

3. Ecuador strips Assange of extra security after an investigation it spent 3.7 MILLION protecting him

By Phoebe Southworth For Mailonline
PUBLISHED: 23:33 EDT, 17 May 2018 | UPDATED: 17:30 EDT, 18 May 2018

The President of Ecuador has ordered the withdrawal of extra security at the country's London embassy where Julian Assange has lived for the last six years.

Lenin Moreno made the move after it was revealed that at least £3.7 million was spent on an intelligence operation to protect the WikiLeaks founder.

The operation - initially called 'Operation Guest' and later 'Operation Hotel' - ran up an average cost of at least $66,000 (£48,885) a month.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5743393/Ecuador-orders-withdrawal-extra-Assange-security-embassy-London.html

[jberryhill]

4. I think the answer is a lot simpler

[struggle4progress]

5. Harpya