'The broad spectrum of official guests was a telling sign of a new wave sweeping the region.'

Martin Piper looks at rafael Correa, the incoming President of Ecuador

Presidents from across Latin America filled the senate in Ecuador’s capital Quito on Monday to welcome the nation’s new president elect, the charismatic 43-year-old, Rafael Correa.

Many western news broadcasters portrayed the event as a rogue’s gallery of anti-US dignitaries, yet the broad spectrum of official guests was a telling sign of a new wave sweeping the region.

Addressing the house, in his red, yellow and blue presidential sash, Correa said “our people won’t forgive us if we don’t advance the integration of our America.”

As his speech drew to a close, imploring leaders to share responsibility, he received a standing ovation.

Gallery

The 'rogue’s gallery' featured Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, Bolivia’s Evo Morales and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega. All democratically elected with huge support in their home countries, yet pariahs in the eyes of the US.

Less talked about dignitaries in the mainstream western news were the Crown Prince of Spain, US allies, Uribe of Colombia, Garcia of Peru and Bachelet of Chile and the centre left populist Lula de Silva of Brazil.

Such a broad coalition certainly represents some challenges for the coming years but it also represents a new positive era for Latin American democracy.

Anti-US sentiment in the region stems from more than 20 years of economic and social policies dictated by technocrats in Washington.

These policies have failed to bring the majority of Latin Americans out of poverty and have seen countries like Argentina and Brazil face economic crisis. They have benefited only a small percentage of the political and corporate elite.

US educated, multi-lingual Correa criticised the Washington Consensus in his speech and also criticised the corrupt political elite that has dominated Ecuadorian politics, an establishment that has seen the downfall of eight presidents in 10 years of political turmoil.

Keeping his campaign promise, he called for a referendum to change the constitution to limit the power of these traditional parties. This motion is likely to see fierce opposition, however, as congress is full of those parties members.

Transformation

“We seek a profound transformation, our leadership has failed. We want a democracy where our voice is heard, where our representatives understand they are there to serve us,” he said.

Correa also rejected a free trade deal with the US, stating it would harm Ecuador’s poor majority and said that he will not renew a treaty allowing the US to use an airbase in the north of the country, due to expire in 2009.

He also vowed to repay international banks and foreign creditors only after the needs of Ecuador’s poor have been met. 60% of the population lives in poverty.

On the Sunday before his inauguration Correa visited the impoverished Andean community of Zumbahua for a ceremony in his honour.

The president had lived in the community as a Catholic social worker and learnt the indigenous language Quechua. “I will never fail you,” he told cheering crowds.

The end of his inaugural speech was spoken in Quechua. Most of the senate would not have understood his message.

But to the majority indigenous community of Ecuador it would have been clear; here is a president that wants to achieve the best for all of the nation’s citizens.

As he stated in an earlier speech: “This democracy is the property of 13 million Ecuadorians, not a bunch of caudillos, not a group of political mafias.”

Martin Piper is a former employee of Christian Aid who now lives and works in South America.

These are personal comments and not necessarily the position of Christian Aid or its partners.

• Read other columns from Martin Piper