An Ecuadorian Obama? Not Quite

Published in El Comercio
(Ecuador) on June 2, 2009
by Walter Spurrier Baquerizo (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Norma L. Colyer. Edited by Caitlin Krieck.
There are striking similarities between Correa and Obama, but while Obama seeks consensus, Correa confronts.

A new generation has come to power in Ecuador and the U.S and their presidents are greatly similar. The 47-year old Barack Obama and the 20-months younger Rafael Correa succeed leaders who are between 15 and 20 years older.

They are better prepared than their predecessors. Obama has the best education America can offer: a Harvard Law Degree. Correa is Ecuador’s first president with a First World education: a Masters earned in Lovania and a PhD from the University of Illinois, both in Economics. Both are in command of situations that seasoned politicians regard as “technical” and which they have little experience.

Obama and Correa both present themselves as springing from the ranks of the less privileged, claims which are only half-truths. True, Obama is black, and only 50 years have passed since racial discrimination was illegal throughout the United States of America. But his blackness is only skin deep – Obama was brought up by his white maternal family and his training is vastly different from that of the black movement leaders in the U.S. Barack Obama’s racial identification is a product of his choice as an adult.

On his part, Correa emphasizes the harsh circumstances of his childhood although culturally he is upper middle class and the values and education he received at home are what enabled him to rise so quickly. There are presently business leaders who experienced similar constraints in their youth.

Correa and Obama both exhibit their generation’s sensitivity toward environmental issues, gender and racial minority rights. Obama nominated a Hispanic woman to the Supreme Court and promises to stimulate “green” industries. As for Correa, these sensitivities are more pronounced in other members of Alianza Pais (Rafael Correa‘s new political movement).

Barack and Rafael share an aversion to the variant of capitalism that has prevailed during the last 20 years, a time during which Thatcher and Reagan led free market economies and the state became a hindrance to economic development.

Both presidents seek to strengthen the state’s role in the economy. They believe that lack of regulation disproportionately benefited the wealthier, and that it brought about the respective banking crises in each country.

But there is a great difference. Obama seeks support for his policies and has pushed for his vision to be the new center for American politics and the American people, much like Franklin Roosevelt New Deal after the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Whether for ideological reasons, personality or characteristics particular to Ecuador, Correa seeks confrontation. He has made enemies of those professionals, merchants and ordinary citizens who seek a more equitable economic environment and, in doing so, risks the rise of animosity and the growth of an alternative government for Ecuador.


Una nueva generación llega al poder en Ecuador y EE.UU. Sus presidentes muestran grandes similitudes. Tanto Barack Obama, de 47 años, como Rafael Correa, 20 meses menor, suceden a líderes entre 15 y 20 años mayores.

Están mejor preparados que sus predecesores: Obama con lo mejor que ofrece EE.UU.: doctorado en Derecho en Harvard. Correa es el primer presidente del Ecuador con una exigente educación de Primer Mundo: maestría en Lovaina y Ph.D. de la Universidad del Illinois, ambos en Economía. Dominan situaciones que los políticos mayores consideran ‘técnicas’ y comprenden vagamente.

Ambos se presentan como salidos de los rangos de los menos privilegiados, lo cual es verdad a medias. Cierto es, Obama es negro, y han transcurrido solo 50 años desde que la discriminación racial es ilegal en toda la unión norteamericana. Pero su negritud es solo de piel, no cultural, ya que fue criado por su familia materna, blanca; su formación es distinta a la de los líderes del movimiento negro de los EE.UU. Su identificación racial es fruto de una decisión suya de adulto.

Correa recalca las duras circunstancias de su niñez, pero culturalmente es de clase media alta; los valores y educación que recibió en su hogar son lo que le permitieron ascender vertiginosamente. Hay líderes empresariales de hoy que experimentaron una estrechez similar en la juventud.


Obama y Correa exhiben la sensibilidad de su generación por temas ambientales, de género y derechos de las minorías raciales. Obama nomina a una hispana para la Corte Suprema y promete incentivar las industrias ‘verdes’. En cuanto a Correa, estas sensibilidades son más marcadas en otros integrantes de Alianza País.

Barack y Rafael comparten una aversión a la variante del capitalismo vigente en los últimos 20 años, esto es desde que salieron con sus doctorados. Thatcher y Reagan capitanearon una economía de libre mercado en la cual el Estado es un estorbo para el desarrollo económico.

Ambos presidentes buscan fortalecer el rol del Estado en la economía. Estiman que la falta de regulación benefició desproporcionadamente a los más ricos, y que causó las crisis bancarias respectivas

Pero hay una gran diferencia. Obama busca sumar apoyos para su tesis; que su visión sea el nuevo centro, como hizo Franklin Roosevelt durante la gran depresión en los 30.

Sea por razones ideológicas, personalidad o características propias del Ecuador, Correa busca la confrontación. Al erigir en enemigos a los profesionales, comerciantes y empleados de empresas privadas que renuncian a la estabilidad del empleo público y aspiran a conformar un patrimonio, Correa arriesga que cuando surja una alternativa de gobierno, su propuesta sea enviar al tacho el legado de Correa.


This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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