Rafael Correa: “If they bother so much, I will return ‘

Image: El Comercio

“It is impossible to go through the perfect storm without even getting wet,” this was one of the most repeated phrases on Tuesday night, January 12, 2016, during the program ‘Looking forward’ in which President Rafael Correa spoke about the political and economical situation of Ecuador. The president responded to questions of CNN journalist Alberto Padilla; the director of daily El Telegrafo, Orlando Perez, and TC Television journalist Carlos Rabascall.

During the program, Correa said that last year he temporarily withdrew the Inheritance and Capital Gains bills from the National Assembly because the visit of Pope Francis was near and there would be “violence,” but he stressed that these bill will now be submitted again, “in order to have a more equitable country.”

On the electoral panorama, he contended that there are several options for presidential candidates within Alianza PAIS and there is much internal debate. For Correa, the political project transcends the individual (referring to his role during these nine years of government), but warned that “if they bother so much,” he will return from Belgium.

He also said that new amendments to the Constitution are on the way, but these will be made from the social construction “to avoid misinformation.” Correa said that in the first package of amendments mistakes were made regarding the diffusion to the citizenship, but Alianza PAIS learned from that experience and this time the strategy will be different.

He also referred to the economic problems that can be foreseen in the country for this year. In his opinion, a lower growth is expected in the country because of the dollar appreciation and the fall in oil prices. When asked about the lack of liquidity, he said there have been delays in payments. In the case of teachers, by imbalances as that of the Ministry of Education, that did not upload the payroll information to the system on time. “We paid USD 1 000 million in December, obviously reserves were low.”

Source: http://www.elcomercio.com/actualidad/rafaelcorrea-entrevista-economia-ecuador-elecciones.html