U.S. Revenge Ecuador
United States (U.S.) ordered the expulsion of Ambassador of Ecuador to Washington. This is done as an act of revenge after the U.S. envoy in Quito, Ecuador forcibly expelled after the leaking of a diplomatic cable.
Ambassador Luis Gallegos was summoned to the Foreign Ministry who later declared him as 'persona non grata' or unwanted party and asked to leave the U.S. as quickly as possible, according to a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, Charles Luoma-Overstreet told AFP on Thursday (7 / 4 / 2011).
On Tuesday, the government of Ecuador asked the U.S. ambassador to leave the country where he served after the leaking of a diplomatic cable, in which Hodges said President Rafael Correa is deliberately picked a corrupt police chief.
"The action that is unfair of the government of Ecuador in stating Ambassador Hodges as 'persona non grata' makes us no choice but to take retaliatory measures. Hodges is one of our most experienced diplomat and talented," Luoma-Overstreet said in an e-mail .
According to Luoma-Overstreet, the U.S. also would delay a bilateral dialogue that has been scheduled to be held in June next.
"The U.S. wants to have a positive relationship with Ecuador, but the decision is regrettable and unwarranted from the Ecuadorian Ambassador Hodges declared as persona non grata to be considered," he said again.
Two events this expulsion took place almost a year after U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton met with the leader left Ecuador, Correa in Quito in an attempt to sow discord between Correa with Hugo Chavez, the Venezuelan leader's anti-American.
On his visit, Clinton said the U.S. is committed to partnering in an open dialogue and cooperation with Ecuador.
On Thursday, Ecuador expressed his confidence that both countries will be able to solve this problem diplomatically.
In Quito, Ecuador's Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said the U.S. reaction was a normal diplomatic procedure.
"We hope that in the weeks ahead we can continue the dialogue," said Patino.
Patino said the U.S. Deputy State Secretary Arturo Valenzuela Gallegos had told about the U.S. decision.
Previously, the government of Ecuador act firmly against Ambassador (Ambassador) United States related to a leaked diplomatic wire by WikiLeaks. Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa asked the U.S. Ambassador Heather M. Hodges to leave the country.