NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 87; ECUADOR; GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NIS
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP01-00707R000200110031-9
• Release Decision: RIP
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 31
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2016
• Sequence Number: 31
• Content Type: REPORTS

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SECRET
WGS /GP
rl
i
ki
Ecuador
July. 1903
CIA- RDP01- 00707R000200110031 -9
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SUI
F. 3`1
SECRET
NO FOREIGN DIS' ;EM
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WARNING
The NIS is No+ional intelligence and cnay not 'be re-
leased or shown to representatives of any foreign govern
ment or international. body except by specific authorization
of the Director-of Central intelligence in accordance with
the provisions of National Security council Intelligence Di-
rective No. 1.
For NIS containing unclassified material, however, the
portions so marked mexv be made available for official pur-
poses to foreign nationals and nongovernment personnel
provided no attribution is made to National Intelligence or
the National Intelligence Survey.
Subsections and taraphics are individually classified
according to content. Classification/control designo-
?ions are:
(U /OU) Unclassified /for Official Use Only
(C) Confidential
(S) Secret
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EC:UDO
CONTENTS
Th ChaPt 411I)crscrlrs Mr.. patilical carcrare
in the Ceiieral Survey datcd Septembcr 1368,
A. Introduction 1
H. Structure tlr.ci functioiiing of the government 2
1. Constitation 2
2. 1~xecutive brands 4
I Judicial branch 6
4. Provincial and local govermne,it 7
C. Political dynamic 8
I. Political r
z. Military 8
b. Political partics 9
(1) Personalist 1zarties 9
(a) Na tional Vclasquista Fed
cration 9
(b) Concentration of Popular
Forces 9
(c) Social Christian Party 10
SeC:3er
No Foimxx D iswNi
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Page
(2) Traditional parties
10
(a) Conservative Party
10
(b) Radical Liberal Party of
Ecuador
10
(c) Ecuadorean Socialist Party
11
(3) Marxist parties I
11
(a) Communist Party of Ecuador
11
(b) Far leftist parties...........
12
2. Pressure gaups
12
a. Oligarchic interest groups
12
b. Students
13
c. The Ronan Catholic Church
14
d. Labor unions
14
3. Electoral practices
15
D. National policie...
15
1. Domestic ......I
16
a. political
16
b. Social
16
c. Petroleum
16
d. Economic and financial Controls
17
2. Foreign
17
a. Territorial sea and land boundaries
11'
b. Relations with Communist countries
18
c. Other foreign relations
18
Fig. 1 Ecuadorean Chief Executves since
1956 (photos)
Fig. 2 Structure of the government (char.)
s
4
i
f
b'
f
i
l
Page
E. Threats to government stability 19
1. Discontent and dissidence 19
a. Social and political disaffection 19
b. Economic. grievances 19
c. Dissident elements 20
(1) Students 20
(2) Labor 20
(3) Military .....I 20
2. Subversion 20
a. Historic4l perspective 20
b. Aetivitics of extralegal organizations 21
F. Maintenance of internal security 22
1. Police 22
2. Countersubversive and counterinsur-
gency ,measures and .capabilities 23
G. Selected bibliography 23
Chronology 24
Glossary 25
FIGURES
Page Page
Fig. 3 Assad Bucaram (photo) 10:
3
5 Fig, 4 Pedro Saad (Photo) 11
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r r
Government and Politic's'
A. Ihtroduction (S)
Ikfe [III', Spanish cYxiquest, tiie territory rongh
correstwnding [o modern l;cuador was called Qtiitio
.Lied was part of the Empire. The first inhabitants
wens .known ;is the Quilu Indians. "I'Ileir civilization
n"ached its lot-ak in the 10th century, 1Own they were
lo osely organixcd in a large nurriber of sinall, weak
groups.. They were t h en Inv aded by the Cata Indians.
svho apparently carne front the Caribbean region. The
Cara% developed the Khigdoin of Quito; they were
unetuered in the late kith ventury. by the Inca
mnlperor, f [uavna Capac, wilt) carne from what is now
Peru. This txx:nrred, however, only Shortly before the
fall of tile Inca Empire after. (lie aerival of tile.
Spiiniards. The Inca civitization -:did not affect the
utass of the Ecuadorean Indians, wile( roinaitiml
Iargely.pamive under 6th colonial and suascguunt
republican rule.
Daring the coleoiiial period the area was known as
the Audiencia of Quito and wac fora tiniesulorlinala
to the Vicewyalty,of New C' ,as tille, with h cadeluarters
in lima; it was later played under [lie Vicemyalty of
Neu' Cr:enada, roiled from pkogota. These changes, as
well :e.; tine generally vague rupture of colonial
Ionnd:Iries, established the backgnoelnd for later
disputes between Ectoador and its neighbors.
When indepcndettea From Spain was assured by talc
defeat of Spanish forces in the Battle.of Pichiucha in
1(122, the Aildiencia of Qtoi(o joined with C:.olombia
and Verne %Umla to Form the Republic of Gem
Cmlonibia. In 18KI a revoluti junta inr.eling in
Quito declarec'.the province independent from Gran
C olonihia; a congress declared the territory a sovereign
st :I[e u nder the designation "State t of Fettador."
Si 114-v etioleonial times t?cnador l.as lead a suectisicru of
constiMions written .tei emhody the ideas of a
particular political figure, or group, with" powerful
leaders ernerging ou .tile xYne front time to tithe to
give' Eonte direction to tine political process, The
eountry's presem Constitution is its 18th. All
Ecuadoican s'_eyirlg calls itodep day --13 Map
1830� "the last d.iy of d e sp otism atoll the firs( day of
(he saine:." in the 1.12 years since indepe{ulenev, there
have hceto 48 el"eted Presiderils, only a fc-w O f a Iu,rti
have cYtmptmed their terms of ,office. None of the
g ov,! rn ment a l systems esta b lished b y the c.onstitutiorls
has laid a solid base for subsetlosent political prtxTmes.
After independence. I:e:oador' established :a
nolninally democratic, constitutional government. In
reality, however, power lnlonged to cutidfllos-
political b efsscs with p ersoual lxtwei' bases. It was
during [lie 14th ce:ntiny aiso that the basis was laid for
the rivalry between the coast (Costa) and the Andean
highlands (Sierra), which conti titles, to (tinder the
development of a truly national consciousness.
Quito, .tile capita] aiid oldctit city, is in the Sierra,
while the largest city, Citil aguil, is in the Costa.
Quito. still partially tvntrolled lay wealthy land
eowncrs, 1s Celriservati "C and religious, whereas
Guayaquil, strongly influenced" by businmss and
crotnmercil!: intemms, is more progressive. Regionalist"
has breo reinforced by granting both the Costu and
the Sierra functional representation in Congress for
amuticrcV, industry, and labor and by permitting
regimial officials some aittonoiny in minor ad niinistra-
tive rtlatters. The government has lx4!n able to
mairitVirl o niv tenuous dorninitm E?cu sthird
geographi area, the Spa ru;ly inhabited jungle region
called the Oriente.
A key f actor in the rise of raudfllos in Ecuador leas
been the importance of persortalf.rtrw �the adhervrite
to a leader brreause of his charisma and demagogic
ability, The preeminent example of this phe�ionmettort
in the last four decades is the octogetoarian juse Maria
Velasao Iharra, who was chos President five times,
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but crntplcled oltly orle of the loon. Although ousters
of hilt] raised little popular outer%: )te was ublc to
relitnl with lnndillnillished appeal and to be elveled
primarily tilt tilt bask of his oratory. His
adiuirtislratiwe gifts slid 11c it match his elt;]risma,
liowever. and his govenlrmrnts usually became riddled
with graft awl mrruptioti, allliough Velascr himself,
was apparelttly honest: In addition, Iris ability to
inspire crmrifidellee rarely exteudercl !o 1x]liticians not
Closely associated with him, altd he was uu:]blc I take
the actions necessary for the well4wing of the muntry.
Nevertheless, he has remained, even in exile, the
leading pnlilical figure since the 1930"s (figure 1).
l'her prescut :1clnlinixtralion which styles itself the.
Nationalist Revolittrtm :try Government, is headed by
Cen; (millerino 11oclrigue.J i a]ra. and carne to power ill
rnilil,iry cmctp oil 1.3 February 1972, ousting Velascrr.
As Conunancler of the Army, Rodriguez ;ls the
rritural fit are aromid whieh the nnoveitlent fora coup
c4o.110rcd, [)tit, he vacillated for some time helure
selling the ouster of Vel:isco ill motion. Uuc reason for
the coup was the presidetiliai election scheduled for
Juue 1972. \lacy, tnililary leaden as well as the
pillitical eslablishincrlt opposed Assad Rncaram; a
polrolist reformist politician, who was :i leading
Ulldidate. They would leave bee n willing for President
Velascro to extend his terin past its collstitntiotial
termination in Actgiist. Although Velastxi had n.ded
with oictatorial lxmwwers silice J1]rle 1970, lie
conuerinxi about faring well in the: judgment of history
and was. de!ermined to cc. :nply as much as passible
with the Constitution.
An additional factor ill the nu]venletil :against
velase o 1.1 in the desireof yonngerofficers to emulate
the reformist government ill Peru. They disliked the
inefficiency stmt ciirruplion of the Velasco adinimstra-
tiun and ']elievecl. that any rather civilian gcmvarnrtient
would be just as bad. FUrtherrnore, the milit :Iry slid
Mot wwatit tilt state reverlrles expected from newly
developell oilfields ill the cast to fall iutci the* !amts of
corrupt civilian politicians.
When the military seized power in YvIfrtlary 1972,
there toss vela little popular inaction nnc wyiiy esr the
other. Evers the parlis:uls of Asmicl Bucarant did not
1]roteM the action duet prev-inted their leader front
callipaigt]ing for the lmrrsidcnc!. ,vfw::,t political parties
either smpporled 11w government openly or adopted a
110110 i]ntnittul altiti :de. The !,oh!! exception wits the
c,Alion a left. which, v. :itid frieginetlled, lacked
power or influence to do rttore than make criticul
st;ltcrnenis:
After the cute, there was cXnsidera ill i.disagree it] etit
within t6 gove rn file [it itself, as well w; amorig
llu�rrihcrs of the inili tit r' who slid not hold goverunicnl
posts. over t pate al w�ilid nrogrin]s. such as
agrari:ol re form, should be uodellaken. Marty officers,
espt;cialli� in the liav�, favored e11lick governuicnlal
action to right age: -old wrongs. The President and
imasiv of tits act iscn appreciatctil. the steed for reform
but pl,u]ned ic: move ]more Slowly., during its first
mouths in office the governmeot had a greal deal of
trill Ible.w�ill] organisation. In addilioll, sonic officials
exlxeted 111.11 the ticw revenues frorti the oilfields
would [tell) solve nalioli;ll problems, and they
preferred to wait mold this moot' became available.
Some in the. military were hesitant to make r]];yor
changes because of c eitplex at(vitclant problems and
the relatively weak and i itlecisive naittrccif Preside Fit
Hocirigoier.. who is easily swayed by differenl military.
factions. They reinerilhcr the exlieriencr of the
military junta of 1963 -66. whose. refornt'isnr arcrosed
wicItspread ntlpo,itiou:
As a result of longstanding deficiencies, however,
the :1e11ic1ernellt of basic reforms. as well as the
development elf a strong; deniocra tie tradition, is made
very cliffic0t tinder MIN fornl.of goverutnctit. lnstc:td.
the p mspvcts for violence. ineffective leadership,
ecouoniic and social stagliatioa, and political
instability are, reinforced by a poorly organized and
cumbersome public administration and a low level of
civic re spou�il]ility. Political factionillisin :nod thc
irrespimmibilily of the disgrluitled aspirants for
political po;rej, moreover, have created an
Millosphere ill which basic national proble; is inay
tonlll]lie to be ignored.
B. Structure and functioning of the
government
1. Constitution (V /OU)
Fettador, perhaps even morn tll;ul most other
11ispanic- American nations, h a s liven plagued by
fretlurrttly recurring "periods of Chaos, wheli little
effective gnwer]tment has existed 131111e national level.
During such tinges a constitutional vonvention has
usuuily been called, apparently. can tllr assumptiow
that those whir parlieipated ill drawing tip a
constitution would seek to briiig alxntt a ntodican] of
f nnetioning government under its provisions. Til lack
of it workable political cm ensus arntilrg rulitigeircles,
howevvr, is revealed by the use of this device 18 iin]cs
between 1812 and 1967. Contributing to the
freciriency of new constitutions has been the general.
view that the purpr]xe.of t6 and legal
systems is to serve as ideals and to elevate the poliiical
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r
Carlos
Arosernena
Mortroy Military Junta 1963 -&6
(961 (i3 f Marcos Gandara Inriquez
Raman Castro Jilon
Luis Cabrera Se Yi11a
Guillermo FreNe Porto
Josh Maria
Velasco lbarra
1960-61
Cornet
196" l
�,S

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behavior of citi%eim The notion that vollsti toll iolls are
ilttnlutaMe slatenlents of principle aad promdury is
ilnt Wi4vIv held.
Sigilificanlly, 1uhowever, the fres. Thcir
Two student. groups in the past ha%v exerwd
strength is much greatrf ill the Sierra than in the
significant pre -sauce From thole to tints� The., major
Costa, and they are especially powerful in provincial
student group is the Federation of Elciiadoirrafi
't
a nd m affv rs in thesertlth. U its d issoluti on
Universit Students WEVE L which was f ole n de d Ill
ire 1970, landowner associations were strongly
1945. It elai its to represent sr :ntc�;�Il1.t }till students at
represented In Congress, Both through the regiona
Five public ant! two Gi l h o l ir uni one ri oll
sentors anti deputies representing the soutllent
(:utholic priva university, .lint th
highland provinces and through the.. functional
schools, Although i'IsUI; is dominated by a stuall,
senators. elcc,ted by the associations themselves.
Ituniber of -Itiglhl'nHtsa lSvcr tart
CFI:XX..., Crnhal i cuaroradna dr Orponi:aciunrit F�:cuadarean Ce:.trnl cf Cla" Orytanira-
Clasisras Lions
CfiO$F....... CortrArrociari Rctraloriano de Orponiar- C;!uadorean Confederation of Frye Lobar
eiones Sindimles Libreir ?rganisaRioss
C P.:..'.:.... Cottrenfracian de Fuer az Populares, ConcenlrAion of Popular Forces
CRE........ Comurismo ftecodutionariodel l:'eaador, ReVolutivnen� Cottimuoism of Ecuador
CTV....:.. Conjederacion de rrabojadores Ecua- Confrderittlon of Ecuadarean Workers
lortanaa
DGI........,. Direction General de 1+Irormacion.......Ccnend Dirretorate of Intciligenee
FESF.......... Federacion de Smeadionles erundariu- Federation. of F.eundorean Secondary
del Iftuadyr Student$
F1:UE..:.... Fcdtrardon do h'siudiamles Unirersilarias Federation of Ecuadorean University
did Heaedar tudvats
FittV:......... Fcdrracion National Felanuisfa...... National Vrlasquista Federation
JIM Jverttlud Comunisra dd Rcuador...... Communist Youth of Reuador
1118........ Morisnienlo l:quierdo Hemiucionar�io Left Revolutionary ,Movement
PC..:........ Parlida Consermdor Conrervative Party
ME� Padide Comoni.ta del $cuador, Communist Party of Ecuador.
PC 1. I....... Porrido Camunista des 13euador/ Communist N,.ty of Ecuador! \farxiat
,Varti4a Lcniniara Len3ulai
PCN.... Policia Civil Naciona... National Civil Police
PI.RE.:....... Partido Liberal Radical dd Ecuador, Padieal Liboial. Party of F.ouador
PSC....... Partido Soiial Cristiaao.. Social Christian Party
PSE.... P Crtido Sacialiara &I JR tj4dor.:. CwU"orean Socialist Party
PSRF.......... Partido Sodalisla Reralucionario del Revolutionary Soeiallat Party of
d4cuador rcuador
P.SU..... Parfido Social isfa Ustido........... Unified Sadaast Party
VAJE........ Union Revofueioaaria do to Iusvnfud del ltrvulutfoaasy Union of Ecuadorean
Hjuados Youth
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Places and features referret; to in this chapter tut ou)
Is.
a 141,
Ambato ........::.......::...........I
15.
78 37
Andes (mfr)
2 00
78 40
Cuencaa...,
2 53
78 59
Fameratdaa
0 59N.
70 42
Calapngos Islanda (fists)..
0 30
00 30
Guayaquil
2 10
70 50
C. do Guayaquil (gulf)
3 go
80 30
Efaya del Carchi (baiin)
0 45N.
77 45
I barra
iaja
4 00
70 13
Orito Wlfidd)..
Quito..
0 13
78 30
Rjobamba
1 40
78 38
Rio Guayas (siren)
2 36
79 52
Santo Domingo......
0 i5
79 0Q
NOTE: �Ail latitudes are South nalem othervrise
indleated.
28
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