Free Republic

QUITO, Ecuador - Applause fills the radio studio when the host mentions the tens of thousands of Ecuadoreans who poured into the streets in protest, withstood clouds of tear gas and eventually forced President Lucio Gutierrez from office. "A minute of applause. For whom? For you," program chief Luis Pozo told listeners Thursday, holding the microphone close. "In eight days of protests, we've been able to get rid of Lucio Gutierrez!" His alternative radio station, La Luna 99.3 FM, played a key role in crystallizing public disillusionment with Gutierrez and galvanizing protests that brought down his government Wednesday. Gutierrez was...

Ecuador's controversial leader, Lucio Gutierrez, has been placed under arrest after Congress ousted him, the armed forces withdrew their support and a new president was named. The embattled Mr Gutierrez left the Carondelet presidential palace just as the legislature named Vice President Alfredo Palacio as the new head of state. He travelled by helicopter to Quito's airport, where demonstrators prevented him from leaving the country. He was reportedly heading to Panama, where his wife and two daughters are. From the airport, the helicopter took Mr Gutierrez to a nearby military base, where he is being held. Prosecutor Cecilia de...

Communism is not dead in Latin America. In fact, the dominoes are falling south of the border, but no one seems to be noticing. “It’s a new day. Communism is dead. It’s even dead in Cuba.” So declared Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing in May 2002. “I hate to say it,” she continued, “it’s dead.” The senator’s proclamation was a surprise, no doubt, to Fidel Castro, whose regime was (and is) alive and as Red as ever. It also must have come as welcome news to the people of Cuba, still suffering, after nearly half...

Ecuador's former President, Gustavo Noboa, has asked the Dominican Republic for political asylum, claiming that he was suffering "persecution" in his home country. Mr Noboa, who left office in January, is under investigation over alleged financial irregularities during his term in office. He denies the charges and claims he is being victimised by political rivals. Another former president, and Mr Noboa's political rival, Leon Febres Cordero, alleges irregularities in Mr Noboa's foreign debt negotiations cost the country $9bn. Mr Noboa was prevented from flying to Miami on Sunday by immigration officials who said he had failed to notify Congress he...