US has infiltrated Ecuador's police: military

A police officer in front of the US embassy in Quito
© AFP/File Rodrigo Buendia

QUITO (AFP) – President Rafael Correa has charged the United States with infiltrating Ecuador’s armed forces and police, shortly after he ordered the US ambassador out of the country over a leaked Wikileaks diplomatic cable.

Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino earlier announced that the US ambassador, Heather Hodges, was sent home over a leaked diplomatic cable that quoted her as saying Correa knowingly appointed a corrupt chief of police.

In Washington, the State Department said it “deeply” regretted the decision by the South American country.

Hodges is “one of our most experienced and talented diplomats,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.

In a 2009 cable released by WikiLeaks, the ambassador was quoted as saying Correa had named as police chief general, Jaime Hurtado, a man she said had a reputation for being corrupt. Correa knew of his activities, she alleged.

Hurtado remained in the post from April 2008 to June 2009.