Ecuadorian Ambassador Expelled From Washington Returns To Ecuador

Luis Gallegos, the Ecuadorian Ambassador who was expelled from Washington after President Rafael Correa called Heather Hodges, head of the American Legation in Quito, “unwelcome person”, left the United States today. The president issued this strong statement right after he found out of the existence of a diplomatic cable signed by Hodges and filtered by Wikileaks, about police corruption in Ecuador.

After occupying his diplomatic position for more than five years, Gallegos left saying he takes hith him “many and very grateful” memories of the U.S. He will arrive to Ecuador today at 21:30, and will be received by Foreign Minister Kintto Lucas at Quito’s Mariscal Sucre airport.

The successive extensions of the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPDEA), and the establishment of bilateral dialogue with Washington are the result of Gallegos’ work during his stay in the U.S., a country that has decided to suspend bilateral dialogue with Ecuador (established in 2008) due to the expulsion of Hodges, who is in Washington since Wednesday.

Source: El Universo Newspaper