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1 (March 16, 2005)

handle is hein.crs/crsmthabcfh0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Order Code RS21687 Updated March 16, 2005 CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web Ecuador: Political and Economic Situation and U.S. Relations Clare Ribando Analyst in Latin American Affairs Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Summary In January 2003, Lucio Gutierrez of the Patriotic Society Party (PSP), a former army Colonel who was part of the junta that toppled the government of Jamil Mahuad in January 2000, became the country's sixth president in seven years. Early in his presidency, President Gutierrez abandoned his populist rhetoric and adopted some market-friendly economic reforms in order to secure support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). His power was severely limited, however, by opposition parties that dominated the Congress, indigenous protests, and allegations of corruption. Despite his party's poor performance in the October 17, 2004 municipal elections, President Gutierrez has found new congressional allies who have helped him stave off impeachment proceedings. In December 2004, Gutierrez replaced the country's high court judges with his political allies, a move which has been sharply criticized by the international community. Ecuador continues to cooperate with the U.S. counter- narcotics program and has mobilized its military and police forces to help control spillover effects from the conflict in Colombia. Ecuador and the United States possess a significant trade relationship that has been enhanced since 1992 by the Andean Trade Preference Act. The two countries are currently negotiating, along with Colombia and Peru, for an Andean Free Trade Agreement. This report will be updated periodically. Background Slightly smaller than Nevada, Ecuador has a population of just under 13 million people. Since independence from Spain in 1830, Ecuador lost 61% of its total land area as a result of border conflicts with Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. Despite its small size, Ecuador's location on the Pacific Coast between Colombia and Peru, two major drug producing countries, makes it of strategic importance to the United States. Ecuador is the 12'h largest oil supplier to the United States, and the 3 largest supplier (behind Mexico and Venezuela) in Latin America. Ecuador is both geographically and ethnically diverse, and has a relatively long (albeit unstable) experience with democratic rule. The population is ethnically mixed: 55% mestizo (mixed Indian and Spanish descent), 25% indigenous, 10% Caucasian, and 10% African. Some 56% of the population and more Congressional Research Service +. The Library of Congress

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