28°c Partly cloudy
18°c Cloudy periods
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Does Ecuador know what it's doing?
Just about eight weeks ago, Julian Assange -- the WikiLeaks founder and self-styled victim of an imagined international political conspiracy -- sought asylum in the Ecuadoran Embassy in London. After Britain's Supreme Court refused his appeal against extradition to Sweden, where Mr. Assange is wanted for questioning on alleged sex crimes, the 41-year-old Australian hacker broke his bail conditions and fled to the embassy, a few hundred yards from Harrods department store. Last week, Ecuador granted his asylum request.
Given that British authorities are sure to arrest Mr. Assange the minute he steps outside embassy premises, what this arrangement gives him is essentially imprisonment without a sentence. More interesting is what advantage Ecuador envisions from protecting an alleged sex criminal who was allowed to exhaust his legal options in one democracy and would be allowed to do the same in another.
Related Items
Mr. Assange claims extradition to Sweden will result in his being turned over to the United States, which, because of its embarrassment over the secret diplomatic cables and military logs WikiLeaks made public, might subject him to the death penalty. At a news conference of sorts on Sunday, in which Mr. Assange was careful not to stick too far out from the Ecuadoran Embassy's balcony, he went so far as to call on the United States to end its "witch hunt" against his organization.
Rafael Correa, Ecuador's outspokenly anti-American president, has stoked fantasies like these, having welcomed Mr. Assange to the so-called "club of the persecuted." In January, he welcomed Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Quito. But he's also certainly aware the United States has neither charged the WikiLeaks founder with any crime nor demanded his extradition. Why then offer asylum?
Mr. Correa, who has cracked down on press freedoms in his own country, has begun to show signs of establishing the same sort of autocracy Hugo Chavez has brought to Venezuela. He may imagine protecting Mr. Assange will give a much-needed boost to his international reputation. But it also could have disastrous economic consequences for his country. As we've said before, the United States Mr. Correa so despises allows Ecuador to export many goods duty-free, supports roughly 400,000 jobs in a country of 14 million people and accounts for one-third of Ecuador's foreign sales. Congress could easily decide to diminish that privileged commercial access early next year.
Is Mr. Assange really worth the risk?
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 22, 2012 A11
More Analysis
- Back to Top
- Return to Analysis
More Analysis
(1 of 6 articles for today)
Peace process with Taliban fragile
1:58 PM 0Past attempts by the Obama administration to start peace talks with the Afghan Taliban foundered in part because the process ...
Poll
Most Popular Analysis
- The Brazilian middle class awakens
- Hike to PST will bite Manitobans hard
- Hidden no more
- Don't let flood-evacuee problems kill the vision
- Canadian to expose alien collaboration with U.S.
- Bernanke averted a global depression
- Firm sues governments over intellectual property
- Smart people SLEEP LATE
- Pimachiowin Aki is exceptional heritage
- Mau Maus win 50-year-long battle
- Too rural, too white, too male
- Canadian to expose alien collaboration with U.S.
- Quebec's nationalism run amok
- Smart people SLEEP LATE
- Beauty and the (mortgage) Beast
- The Brazilian middle class awakens
- Was east side misled by NDP government?
- Expense scandal dogs Nova Scotia's fading NDP government
- UNESCO's concerns unrelated to Bipole III
- Appalling rates of public-sector absenteeism must be addressed
- Canadian to expose alien collaboration with U.S.
- Smart people SLEEP LATE
- Key of Bart: Video Killed The Mayor Who Hates The Toronto Star
- Too rural, too white, too male
- A sorry fact -- Katz finds it hard to apologize
- Ford puts Toronto on the map at last
- Manitoba Hydro's halcyon days are gone
- The key of Bart
- Ford can't resign as mayor soon enough
- Obama gets ‘revenge’ with Rice appointment
- Hidden no more
- Smart people SLEEP LATE
- Work, not retirement, saves lives
- Don't let flood-evacuee problems kill the vision
- UNESCO's concerns unrelated to Bipole III
- Smart people SLEEP LATE
- Shed more light on JTF2 secrets
- Hydro must serve citizens, not government
- The view of Bipole III from Hart Mountain
- Aging makes women proud — and loud
- Was east side misled by NDP government?
- Quebec's nationalism run amok
- Hidden no more
- Canadian to expose alien collaboration with U.S.
- No bailouts required for Pollock's
- Smart people SLEEP LATE
- Teachers should fast-track inclusive plan
- Manitoba Hydro's halcyon days are gone
- Hydro must serve citizens, not government
- Shocking exclusion
- Canadian to expose alien collaboration with U.S.
- Gadgets in classrooms are gimmicks
- ‘Stand your ground’ case not what it seemed
- Hydro plans will be scrutinized in public
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is be a Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscriber to join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
Have Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press print or e-edition subscribers only. why?
Login SubscribeHave Your Say
Comments are open to Winnipeg Free Press Subscribers only. why?
SubscribeThe Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.