Julian Assange: US Coopts Patriotic Opposition in Ecuador, Former President Correa goes against Wikileaks Founder

By Andrew Korybko
Global Research, July 18, 2019
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Former President Rafael Correa’s claim that Julian Assange abused his political asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London to influence the US’ 2016 elections and his publicly proclaimed admiration for Hillary amount to nothing less than the completion of America’s quest to co-opt the country’s patriotic opposition and ensure the continuance of its influence irrespective of whoever wins the upcoming 2021 elections there.

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Former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa surprised his supporters across the world earlier this week by telling CNN that Julian Assange abused his political asylum in the London Embassy in a way that influenced the US’ 2016 elections. He elaborated that Assange was engaging in “manipulation” by not publishing any compromising information on Trump, and then even proceeded to praise Hillary by proudly proclaiming that “I am way closer to Hillary Clinton than Trump. I know Hillary, I admire her.” The ex-leader’s words were a shock because he had previously cultivated a reputation as an anti-American leftist and earlier decried his successor’s decision to revoke Assange’s asylum as “a crime that humanity will never forget“, which is at extreme variance with his newly revealed personal admiration for Hillary and what he just said about the Wikileaks founder.

One would be forgiven for thinking that Correa sold out to the US, which might actually be more than just reactionary speculation upon further scrutiny. He’s currently living in self-imposed exile in Brussels to escape what he claims are the politically motivated charges against him pertaining to the kidnapping of an opposition lawmaker in 2012. From his base in the EU capital, he’s remained a powerful symbol of the patriotic opposition to President Lenin Moreno, and a collection of allied parties under his influence performed pretty well during March’s nationwide local elections. This sets them up for a possible win in the upcoming 2021 general elections and could possibly result in a reversal of the many pro-American policies of the incumbent government, unless, of course, the patriotic opposition is co-opted by Washington before that happens.

Correa told RT last summer that his political opponents want him dead, which is why they unsuccessfully tried to seek his extradition from the EU last year, so there’s evidently serious pressure being put upon him. The current Ecuadorean government is vehemently pro-American, so it can be extrapolated that the extradition request was an extension of Washington’s will at the time. Being based in Brussels, which itself is mostly subservient to America, Correa is never truly safe if the US really wanted him dead. It can’t be known for certain, but the possibility can’t be ruled out that American agents somehow or another got to him and compelled the leftist leader to publicly denounce Assange on CNN while also scandalously singing Hillary’s praises.
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That scenario would explain his unexpected statements that are quite out of character with the Correa that the world thought they knew, which in turn would strongly imply that the US has succeeded in its quest to co-opt the country’s patriotic opposition in order to ensure that continuation of American influence there after the 2021 general elections. This operation might have been part and parcel of Trump’s “Fortress America” vision of restoring the US’ unrivaled hegemony in the Western Hemisphere by hook or by crook, whether through “constitutional coups” like what his predecessor carried out in Brazil or via Hybrid Wars like the ongoing one in Venezuela. Should that be the case, then it would mean that Ecuador will remain within the American orbit regardless of the outcome of the next election, which would kill its “Citizens’ Revolution” once and for all.

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This article was originally published on Eurasia Future.

Andrew Korybko is an American Moscow-based political analyst specializing in the relationship between the US strategy in Afro-Eurasia, China’s One Belt One Road global vision of New Silk Road connectivity, and Hybrid Warfare. He is a frequent contributor to Global Research.

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Copyright © Andrew Korybko, Global Research, 2019

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Articles by: Andrew Korybko

About the author:

Andrew Korybko is an American Moscow-based political analyst specializing in the relationship between the US strategy in Afro-Eurasia, China’s One Belt One Road global vision of New Silk Road connectivity, and Hybrid Warfare. He is a frequent contributor to Global Research.

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