- Title: ECUADOR: Ecuador prepares for Rafael Correa's swearing-in ceremony
- Date: 15th January 2007
- Summary: (AM) ZUMBAHUA, ECUADOR (JANUARY 14, 2007) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF ZUMBAHUA TOWN VARIOUS OF ECUADOR PRESIDENT-ELECT CORREA ARRIVING BY HELICOPTER VARIOUS OF ANCIENT CLEANSING RITUAL PERFORMED ON CORREA PRESIDENTS MORALES (BOLIVIA) AND CHAVEZ (VENEZUELA) GREET PRESIDENT-ELECT CORREA AT PODIUM GENERAL VIEW OF DIGNITARIES AND GENERAL AUDIENCE SINGING NATIONAL ANTHEM VARIOUS OF PRESIDENTS CHEERING AT PODIUM MORALES, CHAVEZ AND CORREA GREET PRIESTS SOUNDBITE (Spanish) ECUADORIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT RAFAEL CORREA SAYING: "I don't have the soul of a traitor, comrades. I'm not an impostor. I will never fail you." VARIOUS OF CHAVEZ RECEIVING COMMUNION INDIAN CHIEF HANDS OVER BATON TO CORREA MORALES SPEAKS TO THE CROWD SOUNDBITE (Spanish) BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT EVO MORALES SAYING: "This year we will continue recovering natural resources. For that purpose, it is not important to have a president, but to have a united people that mobilizes." CHAVEZ SPEAKS TO THE CROWD SOUNDBITE (Spanish) VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ SAYING: "Know that these are not empty words or rhetoric. Venezuela is at the service of the Ecuadorian people. Hugo Chavez is at the service of Rafael Correa." CROWD CHEERS
- Embargoed: 30th January 2007 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Ecuador
- Country: Ecuador
- Topics: International Relations,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVACP4H370Y8P15PNIDGJPT93C1H
- Story Text: Preparations for tomorrow's swearing-in ceremony of Ecuadorean President-elect Rafael Correa continued throughout the country as heads of state and dignitaries from around the hemisphere arrived in Quito.
Meanwhile, in the Indian hamlet of Zumbahua, 100 kilometres south of the capital city, Correa received a ceremonial cleansing by a local medicine-man as well as a baton which symbolizes the power he now commands over indigenous groups.
Correa, standing side-by-side with leftist presidents Hugo Chavez from Venezuela and Evo Morales from Bolivia said he is a man of his word.
"I don't have the soul of a traitor, comrades. I'm not an impostor. I will never fail you," said Correa to local residents.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez praised the Ecuadorean people for having elected the 43-year-old economist and said he and his country will help Ecuador unconditionally.
Venezuela is at the service of the Ecuadorean people. Hugo Chavez is at the service of Rafael Correa," said the Venezuelan leader.
Bolivian President Evo Morales underlined the similarities between Ecuador and Bolivia and spoke about some of its government goals for 2007.
"This year we will continue recovering natural resources. For that purpose, it is not important to have a president, but to have a united people that mobilizes," said Morales.
Meanwhile in Quito, Spanish Prince Felipe de Borbon who arrived in Ecuador on Sunday (January 14), attended a mass at a local church.
"This mass was organized to remember the two Ecuadorian citizens who died in the terrorist attack by ETA on December 30th in Madrid," said Prince Felipe.
Other dignitaries who arrived on the eve of President-elect Correa's swearing-in ceremony include the President of Paraguay, Nicanor Duarte, the Vice President of Cuba, Carlos Lage and the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, who spoke about the long-standing friendship between Ecuador and the United States.
"We are friends and we have been friends for many years. We expect that our friendship will benefit both countries for years to come. We greatly respect the people of Ecuador," said Gutierrez.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected this evening in Quito, after visiting Nicaragua. This is Ahmadinejad's second visit to Latin America in four months. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
