Ecuador's Correa Warns Opposition Plans a 'Dirty Campaign'

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa warned Tuesday that a “dirty campaign” by the country's political opposition and their allies in the private media is set to be unleashed in 2016.

Correa said opponents of his government will ramp up their efforts at manipulation as the country is due to hold presidential elections in 2017.

"A pre-election year is upon us. It will be a very tough year knowing the wickedness and mediocrity of those who play political games in Ecuador. Our main adversaries are not the opposition but rather the private press, without them the supposed opposition would not exist," said President Correa.

The Ecuadorean president lambasted the private media, who he accuses of deliberately trying to foment fear among the population.

Correa made the statements during an event to celebrate the opening of a new 25-kilometer highway near the city of Quevedo.

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The opposition has also lately taken to attacking the government over state expenditure on infrastructure projects, challenging the government to cut back on spending.

"That public spending is you, the people, it is our farmers who can plant now without fear of losing (the harvest) because we have built mega projects for flood control, it is our scholarship recipients who study at the best universities in the world," said Correa.

President Correa continues to enjoy high levels of approval, with one year-end survey finding his support is at 58 percent.

Despite his popularity, the incumbent Correa has announced he will not run for an immediate third term.

The Ecuadorean National Assembly recently approved a series of constitutional amendments, which included the elimination of term limits for political office.

At the request of Correa, the amendments included a provisional measure so that term limits are eliminated only after May 24, 2017, effectively preventing Correa from being able to immediately seek a third term.

Correa's vice president during his first term, Lenin Moreno, is being floated as the most likely figure to run for president to succeed him.