Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Steps Down to Strengthen Grassroots

Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño will step down temporarily to strengthen the grassroots movement supporting the PAIS Alliance government and Citizens’ Revolution, President Rafael Correa announced Thursday.

Patino's two-month leave from the Foreign Ministry was requested by President Correa in light of recent destabilization attempts against his government, particularly in the country’s capital Quito.

“Note that in Quito, the largest of the opposition demonstrations had 5,000 people, but very aggressive and some 1,200 who wanted to enter Carondelet (presidential palace),” said President Correa to media. “They could destabilize the government, they could generate violence. We cannot allow that.”

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According to Correa, Patino's role will be to focus on organizing the from within the Citizens’ Revolution to mobilize supporters from the ground up to confront the threat of right-wing destabilization against the government.

The announcement comes a day after a poll reaffirmed that over 65 percent of Ecuadoreans in major cities support President Rafael Correa.