Weekly Report - 23 December 2003
ECUADOR: Reshuffle focuses on `social' ministries
President Lucio Gutiérrez has carried out his promised `oxygenation' of his cabinet in a manner that suggests two main objectives: building bridges with political parties, so as to enjoy a working majority in congress, and concentrating on the `social' portfolios, to head off the wave of protests announced for the New Year.
On 17 December Gutiérrez appointed seven new ministers and three secretaries of state; the former mainly in the social area, the latter in his immediate staff (see table below). Some local commentators say that the distinguishing feature of the reshuffle is that Gutiérrez has tried to lower the profile of his own party, Sociedad Patriótica (PSP), bringing in people who, while not formally members of any party, have strong connections in the political-party circuit — particularly in the conservative Partido Social Cristiano (PSC) and the Partido Roldosista Ecuatoriano (PRE), which is usually described as populist.
The PSP, however, is hardly absent. Patricio Acosta, who worked close to Gutiérrez as the administration secretary in the presidency, has been put in charge of social welfare. Former social welfare minister Carlos Pólit has been brought into the inner circle as secretary of the presidency, a position akin to that of White House chief of staff.
Pólit will share the role of presidential spokesman with two others in the Carondelet palace: communications secretary Yolanda Torres (a former city councillor in Quito for Democracia Popular and close to former President Jamil Mahuad, the man Gutiérrez helped oust in 2001), and new administration secretary Xavier Ledesma — thrice a legislator, interior minister under President Sixto Durán Ballén (PUR, 1992-96).
Beyond the headlines, Gutiérrez has also formed a new ring of close advisers: Pablo Celi (a former Communist who served under presidents Abdalá Bucaram and Gustavo Noboa), Xavier Benedetti (a media man Gutiérrez is said to respect for his warts-and-all advice), and Jorge Dávila, an external adviser since January who now, as private secretary to Gutiérrez, will be his chief speechwriter.
The coming protest wave
The big question is whether this will really head off the impending social protests, which explicitly aim at forcing Gutiérrez to change course or step down, and are particularly incensed by last week's decision by the national remunerations council to bar all pay increases until 2005. The line-up:
On 17 December Gutiérrez appointed seven new ministers and three secretaries of state; the former mainly in the social area, the latter in his immediate staff (see table below). Some local commentators say that the distinguishing feature of the reshuffle is that Gutiérrez has tried to lower the profile of his own party, Sociedad Patriótica (PSP), bringing in people who, while not formally members of any party, have strong connections in the political-party circuit — particularly in the conservative Partido Social Cristiano (PSC) and the Partido Roldosista Ecuatoriano (PRE), which is usually described as populist.
The PSP, however, is hardly absent. Patricio Acosta, who worked close to Gutiérrez as the administration secretary in the presidency, has been put in charge of social welfare. Former social welfare minister Carlos Pólit has been brought into the inner circle as secretary of the presidency, a position akin to that of White House chief of staff.
Pólit will share the role of presidential spokesman with two others in the Carondelet palace: communications secretary Yolanda Torres (a former city councillor in Quito for Democracia Popular and close to former President Jamil Mahuad, the man Gutiérrez helped oust in 2001), and new administration secretary Xavier Ledesma — thrice a legislator, interior minister under President Sixto Durán Ballén (PUR, 1992-96).
Beyond the headlines, Gutiérrez has also formed a new ring of close advisers: Pablo Celi (a former Communist who served under presidents Abdalá Bucaram and Gustavo Noboa), Xavier Benedetti (a media man Gutiérrez is said to respect for his warts-and-all advice), and Jorge Dávila, an external adviser since January who now, as private secretary to Gutiérrez, will be his chief speechwriter.
The coming protest wave
The big question is whether this will really head off the impending social protests, which explicitly aim at forcing Gutiérrez to change course or step down, and are particularly incensed by last week's decision by the national remunerations council to bar all pay increases until 2005. The line-up:
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