Respuesta de Embajadora Nathalie Cely a Latin America Advisor sobre asilo de Julian Assange

1. www.thedialogue.org Tuesday, August 28, 2012
FEATURED Q&A
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Why Is Ecuador Protecting WikiLeaks' Julian Assange?
Diego Arria Jon Huenemann
Ecuador's foreign minister
Q
Director, Vice President, applicant. In making its decision, Ecuador
Columbus Group U.S. & Int'l Affairs, announced Aug. 16 that the South could not depart from its tradition of sol-
Philip Morris American country was granting idarity and commitment to the human
Genaro Arriagada International
Nonresident Senior
political asylum to WikiLeaks rights known as asylum and refuge. We are
Fellow, James R. Jones founder Julian Assange, who faces extra- aware that some have argued that this
Inter-American Co-chair, dition to Sweden on sexual assault decision will disrupt our relations with
Dialogue Manatt Jones charges. However, authorities in Britain, other countries. Indeed, the initial threat
Global Strategies LLC where Assange has been holed up in from the United Kingdom to violate the
Joyce Chang
Global Head of Craig Kelly Ecuador's embassy since June, have sanctity of Ecuador's Embassy in London
Emerging Markets Vice President, refused to grant Assange safe passage out had no standing in the fundamental val-
Research, JPMorgan The Cohen Group of the country and threatened to revoke ues and norms of international law. As a
Chase & Co. the embassy's diplomatic status. result, Ecuador has received support from
John Maisto
W. Bowman Cutter Director, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said
Former Partner,
Continued on page 2
U.S. Education Finance Sunday that Britain had withdrawn that
E.M. Warburg Group
Pincus
threat. What are Ecuador's motivations for
Nicolás Mariscal granting asylum to Assange? How does
Dirk Donath Chairman, the decision affect Ecuador's relations
Managing Director, Grupo Marhnos with Britain, the United States and other
Eton Park Capital
Management Thomas F. countries? Are there larger implications of
McLarty III Britain's threats to revoke the embassy's
Jane Eddy President, diplomatic status?
Managing Director, McLarty Associates
Corporate & Govt.
Nathalie Cely, Ecuador's
A
Ratings Group, Carlos Paz-Soldan
Standard & Poor's Partner, ambassador to the United
DTB Associates, LLP States: "Many are discussing the
Marlene Fernández
Corporate Vice Beatrice Rangel complicated Assange issue in a Colombia Opens 'Exploratory'
President for Director, very simple manner. Although personal Peace Talks With FARC Rebels
Government Relations, AMLA Consulting LLC and political opinions about Mr. Assange
Arcos Dorados are as strong and diverse in Ecuador as Colombia's government has opened
José Antonio Ríos
Jason Hafemeister Chief Executive Officer, they are around the world, this decision "exploratory" peace talks with the
Vice President, Vadium Technology Inc. was made only after careful consideration Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Allen F. Johnson & and intensive consultations with all par- Colombia, President Juan Manuel
Andrés Rozental
Associates ties involved. We followed the standard Santos announced Monday. Santos said
President,
Peter Hakim Rozental & Asociados procedure for asylum seekers under our the ELN rebels may participate as well.
President Emeritus, and Senior Fellow, rule of law, international human rights See story on page 2.
Inter-American Brookings Institution conventions and U.N. requirements. Mr.
Dialogue Photo: Colombian Government.
Everett Santos Assange was treated as we would any other
Donna Hrinak President,
President,
Boeing Brazil
DALEC LLC Inside This Issue
Shelly Shetty
Head, Latin America FEATURED Q&A: Why Is Ecuador ECLAC Urges Latin American
Sovereign Ratings, Protecting WikiLeaks' Julian Assange?.............1 Countries to Boost Industry..................................3
Fitch Inc.-Start Content-
Colombia Opens 'Exploratory' Chile's Codelco Eyes IPO
Peace Talks With FARC Rebels............................2 of International Unit ..............................................3
Daughter of Cuban Vice President The Dialogue Continues: Would Another
Defects to United States .......................................2 Peace Accord Help Central America?. ..............3
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2. Inter-American Dialogue’s Latin America Advisor Tuesday, August 28, 2012
NEWS BRIEFS Political News attacks, kidnappings and drug trafficking.
"We will learn from the errors of the past
Daughter of Cuban Vice President in order not to repeat them," said Santos.
Defects to United States Colombia Opens 'Exploratory' Earlier on Monday, Venezuelan television
The daughter of Cuban Vice Peace Talks With FARC Rebels network Telesur reported that Colombian
President Mariano Murillo defected officials had signed an agreement in
Colombia's government has started Havana to hold peace talks with the FARC
earlier this month to the United
"exploratory" peace talks with the coun- in Oslo, Norway beginning in October.
States and is currently living in
try's main rebel group, the Revolutionary
Tampa, Fla., The Miami Herald Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC,
reported Monday. Glenda Murillo President Juan Manuel Santos announced
Diaz, 24, entered the United States Colombia's military will
Monday. "In the coming days the results of
earlier this month at Laredo, Tex., the conversations with the FARC will continue operating "on every
and was admitted under the "wet- become known," Santos said in a brief tel- single centimeter of national
foot, dry-foot" policy, which allows evised speech, the Associated Press report-
Cubans who set foot on dry land in ed. Santos provided no other details, such territory," said Santos.
the United States to stay, unnamed as when the talks started, what was dis-
sources told the newspaper's sister cussed or who participated. Santos' state-
publication, El Nuevo Herald. ment confirmed rumors that the govern- Colombian officials declined to confirm
Cuban President Raúl Castro last ment had entered into talks with the or deny the report. The day's develop-
FARC that were purportedly held in Cuba. ments drew criticism from Santos' hard-
year put Mariano Murrillo in
Santos did not confirm the location of the line predecessor, Álvaro Uribe, who has
charge of economic reforms on the talks. Santos did say that Colombia's mili- strongly objected to talks between the
island. tary would continue operating "on every government and the FARC. "What it is
single centimeter of national territory" that we are going to negotiate?" Uribe said
Mexico Holds 12 Police Officers
After Embassy Car Shooting during any peace process. The statement to reporters Monday after Santos'
was a reference to past peace talks with the announcement. Peace talks would lead to
As officials continue to investigate a rebels in which the government ceded a rebels taking seats in Congress and mili-
shooting where Mexican federal piece of land the size of Switzerland to the tary officers being sent to prison, said
police shot at a U.S. embassy car, a guerrillas from 1999 to 2002. However, Uribe. In his speech Monday, Santos also
judge ordered 12 officers involved in the talks collapsed as the FARC continued said the National Liberation Army rebels
the incident to be held for 40 days, Featured Q&A
Agence France-Presse reported. "No Continued from page 1
crime and no investigative leads are
Andrés Rozental, member of
A
being ruled out at the moment … a united Latin America, as well as many
others. Last week at the OAS, Ecuador the Advisor board, president of
This is why we asked for provisional
also received the support of its members Rozental & Asociados in
detention, so we have the time we on this issue. We are pleased that the Mexico City and senior fellow
need to carry out an exhaustive United Kingdom has since stated in a at the Brookings Institution: "In the first
investigation," said Attorney General letter that it will adhere to the Vienna place, Mr. Assange cannot really be con-
Marisela Morales Ibañez. Convention on Diplomatic Relations sidered a political refugee. He is accused
and respect the Ecuadorean Embassy's of crimes in Sweden and the British
Court Issues Preliminary Ruling diplomatic immunity. As a result, authorities have committed to extradite
Resuming Belo Monte Work
President Correa deems this matter him so he can face his accusers in a
Brazil's Supreme Court issued a pre- overcome. Moving forward, we hope all Swedish court. Assange appealed the
liminary ruling on Monday that countries will view our decision in the extradition as far as British law allows
overturns a previous decision that appropriate context and make any deci- and lost on each occasion. His decision
had suspended construction on the sions wisely and objectively. We remain to seek refuge in a foreign embassy in
Belo Monte dam, Agence France- confident that our international rela- London represents a last ditch effort to
tionships will continue to develop and avoid being sent to Sweden, from where
Presse reported. A regional federal
flourish. Principle and transparency, he fears that he might be extradited to
court had ruled that indigenous
not political expediency, make a far bet- the United States to face charges related
communities were not granted their ter foundation for stable and lasting to the WikiLeaks case. Since American
right to speak before Congress after diplomatic relations." jurisprudence contemplates the death
an environmental impact study was
published. Continued on page 4
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3. Inter-American Dialogue’s Latin America Advisor Tuesday, August 28, 2012
group, or ELN, has also said it wants to
participate in peace talks. "They, too, The Dialogue Continues
could be part of this effort to end the con-
flict," said Santos.
Would Another Peace Accord Help Central America?
Economic News
Q
Aug. 7 marked the 25th required level of political cooperation,
anniversary of the Esquipulas it is difficult to see why another 'big
ECLAC Urges Latin American II Peace Accords, which bang' presidential event would fare any
Countries to Boost Industry helped provide the frame- differently. If anything, Central
work to end years of conflict in Central American history tends to suggest that
Countries in Latin America should America. Speaking at the OAS, former many of the most important achieve-
increase their investments in technology Guatemalan President Vinicio Cerezo ments of the region's integration—on
and other industries rather than relying called for a new Esquipulas Accord to issues ranging from customs to the
on commodities, the Economic confront the issues that currently interconnection of the electric grid—
Commission for Latin America and the threaten the region's stability, arguing tend to happen under the radar, far
Caribbean said in a report Monday. that violence, corruption and inequality from the spotlight, through the patient
Government investment in manufactur- can only be mitigated by a cohesive accumulation of small steps rather than
ing would help the region grow, said the response from Central America's lead- big declarations. This is probably the
U.N. agency known as ECLAC, Reuters ers. Would signing an "Esquipulas III" right approach for the future. Sadly,
reported. Many of the region's economies be a good idea? In what ways has there are no shortcuts to solve the
have benefitted from surging demand Central America seen successes in region's main problems—violence,
from China for raw materials and other recent years, and which are its most institutional weakness, low productivi-
exports, such as soy, grains and copper. intractable problems? How should ty, dismally low educational attainment,
However, ECLAC said the region's weak institutions be strengthened? extremely high socio-economic
economies must diversify in order to What steps could leaders take to more inequality, to name but a few. All these
withstand external shocks and reduce effectively confront the region's crises? issues demand the presence of state
poverty and inequality. Latin America institutions able to exert effective con-
Kevin Casas-Zamora, senior
A
experienced 3.8 percent annual growth on trol over the territory and adequately
average between 2001 and 2010, lagging fellow in the Latin America provide public goods and services to the
behind emerging economies in Asia and Initiative at the Brookings population. This is a tall order in most
Sub-Saharan Africa, ECLAC said in the Institution and former vice of Central America, where fiscal weak-
report, which was presented at the body's president of Costa Rica: "Esquipulas III ness and unfairness are endemic. On
biennial meeting in El Salvador. is an interesting concept, in principle. average, tax collection in the isthmus is
While it is true that many of the vexing lower than in Latin America as a whole
Company News challenges faced by Central America—
notably the threat of organized crime—
and lower, even, than in Sub-Saharan
Africa. Progressive tax reform probably
demand a concerted effort at the high- holds the key to the future of Central
Chile's Codelco Eyes IPO est political level, let us not forget that America, with or without a presidential
of International Unit one of distinct legacies of the peace summit to declare it."
accords of 25 years ago was precisely the
Chilean state-owned copper producer discipline of holding regular presiden-
Codelco is considering an initial public tial summits in the region. If those Editor's note: The above is a continua-
offering of its international unit as it summits—fully institutionalized by tion of a Q&A published in Monday's
seeks to raise money now—are not able to achieve the issue of the Advisor.
for mining projects
outside of its home
country, the compa- Codelco's balance sheet, nor capacity, to maybe of capital market in its proprietary
ny's chief executive take on debt to finance projects abroad," structure," he added. Other than a few
officer told Chilean Keller told the newspaper, Reuters report- exploration projects in other Latin
newspaper Diario ed. Codelco is planning to present a busi- American countries, Codelco has little
Financiero in an ness plan to its board by the end of the presence outside Chile. The development
interview published year, said Keller. "What we're thinking to of Codelco's international unit was
Keller Monday. "This is start off with is to have this vehicle, which delayed by the company's contract con-
File Photo: Codelco because there clearly will be controlled by the corporation, and flict with Anglo American, which the two
isn't space in allow the entry of other partners and sides settled last week, said Keller.
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4. Inter-American Dialogue’s Latin America Advisor Tuesday, August 28, 2012
-End Content-
Featured Q&A
Continued from page 2 Latin America Advisor
is published every business day by the
penalty for acts of treason, which Assange that the United Kingdom is now stressing Inter-American Dialogue, Copyright © 2012
is accused of committing when he should have been the primary course of Erik Brand
released the Wikileaks material publicly, action for a country that has lost influ- General Manager, Publishing
his argument for requesting asylum in a ence and presence in South America, a ebrand@thedialogue.org
foreign diplomatic mission is that he region where it is keen to substitute a Gene Kuleta
fears for his life if Sweden ever decides to diminished diplomatic profile for Editor
send him to the United States. Assange stronger trade relations. Against the gkuleta@thedialogue.org
obviously chose Ecuador's Embassy in backdrop of the ongoing dispute with Rachel Sadon
London for two reasons: first, because Reporter, Assistant Editor
political and diplomatic asylum are a rsadon@thedialogue.org
sacred institution among Latin American
countries and as a rule asylum requests
are granted, and secondly, given
“ The need for quiet diplomacy Inter-American Dialogue
Ecuador's current government and a rel- that the United Kingdom is now
atively hostile relationship with stressing should have been the Michael Shifter, President
Washington, Assange correctly assumed Peter Hakim, President Emeritus
that he would be granted asylum by a primary course of action ... ” Genaro Arriagada, Nonresident Senior Fellow
country that is not on the friendliest — Julia Buxton
Sergio Bitar, Nonresident Senior Fellow
terms with the United States. The British
government's threats to withdraw diplo- Joan Caivano, Director, Special Projects
matic status from Ecuador's mission in Maria Darie, Director of Finance & Administration
London and enter the premises to arrest Argentina over the Malvinas, Britain has Paul Isbell, Visiting Senior Fellow
Assange created such a negative reaction, reinforced the perception it is an imperi- Claudio Loser, Senior Fellow
both inside the United Kingdom and alist anachronism. The impact of this
Nora Lustig, Nonresident Senior Fellow
abroad, that London was forced to retract incident will be more heavily felt by the
them over the weekend. For the next step, British. Aside from heightened regional Margaret Myers, Director,
China and Latin America Program
one can only assume that British author- antipathy toward the United Kingdom,
ities will begin a process of negotiation British ambitions for opportunities in Manuel Orozco, Director, Remittances
and Development Program
with Ecuador to try to resolve the the Ecuadorean hydrocarbon sector will
impasse, but in the meantime, Mr. likely be negatively affected. By contrast, Tamara Ortega Goodspeed, Senior
Associate, Education
Assange might become a semi-perma- Ecuador is the toast of a sizeable section
nent guest of Ecuador's ambassador in of progressive opinion in Britain, where Jeffrey Puryear, Vice President, Social Policy
London while a solution is found. If the Julian Assange is backed by high profile
Swedish government gives Assange guar- supporters on the political left and right.
Latin America Advisor is published every
antees that he won't be sent to the United Even opinion that is unsympathetic to business day, except for major U.S. holidays, by
States, that might open the way for a way Assange is uncomfortable with the threat the Inter-American Dialogue at:
out." to revoke Ecuador's diplomatic status. 1211 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 510
The case of the Chinese dissident Chen Washington, DC 20036
Julia Buxton, senior research Phone: 202-822-9002 Fax: 202-822-9553
A
Guangcheng is cited as evidence of
www.thedialogue.org ISSN 2163-7962
fellow in the department of British hypocrisy and short sightedness
peace studies at the University on such a sensitive issue as political dissi- Subscription Inquiries are welcomed at
of Bradford in the United dence. Having unexpectedly had the case freetrial@thedialogue.org
Kingdom: "Britain's threat to force entry of Assange thrust upon him, Correa will
The opinions expressed by the members of the
into the Ecuadorean Embassy without hope to reap the dividends of his pro- Board of Advisors and by guest commentators do
consent was intended as a flexing of human rights and anti-imperialist narra- not necessarily represent those of the publisher. The
diplomatic muscles within the frame- tive in his country's presidential election analysis is the sole view of each Advisor and does not
necessarily represent the views of their respective
work of the Diplomatic and Consular in six months' time." employers or firms. The information in this report
Premises Act of 1987. While Prime has been obtained from reliable sources, but neither
Minister David Cameron maintains its accuracy and completeness, nor the opinions
based thereon, are guaranteed. If you have any ques-
there was no threat, only clarification of The Advisor welcomes reactions to the tions relating to the contents of this publication,
the United Kingdom's legal obligations, Q&A above. Readers can write editor contact the editorial offices of the Inter-American
the original statement has backfired on Gene Kuleta at gkuleta@thedialogue.org Dialogue. Contents of this report may not be repro-
duced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
Britain. The need for quiet diplomacy with comments. without prior written permission from the publisher.
Copyright © 2012, Inter-American Dialogue Page 4 of 4