Weekly Report - 23 February 2012 (WR-12-08)

Foreign press coverage of Ecuador this week was dominated by the judicial ruling coming down hard on the national daily El Universo. The widespread debate over press freedom in Ecuador is fully justified but what is really significant is President Rafael Correa’s attempt to discredit a potentially large protest march against his government, led by the umbrella indigenous organisation Conaie. During his weekend media broadcast, Correa claimed that “radical” indigenous movements were preparing to team up with “leaders of the extreme right”, backed by bankers and “the corrupt media”, enraged by the ruling against El Universo, to destabilise his government. What exactly is the march all about to cause him such concern?