Ecuador

ECUADOR

1979 –2002 – Jaime Roldos Aguilera  became Ecuadors president in 1979, helping the poor. On 24 May 1981 he died in a airplane crash, a CIA assassination was suspected. Cucio Gutierreznwas was elected President in Nov 2002. (The secret history of the American empire. John Perkins. ©2007 US).

24 May 1981 – Ecuador’s President died in a plane crash, a CIA assassination was suspected. Two key witnesses had been killed in car accidents before they were to testify about the plane crash. Omar Torrijos died in a plane crash, two months after Jaime Roldos on 31 July 1981. (The secret history of the American empire. John Perkins. ©2007 US).

1987 – Assassination of Gen Carlos Prat, Commander of the Chile army, soon after that of Pres Allende’s, Operation Condor. Torrijos of Panama and Roldo of Ecuador, these two leaders died in plane crashes. CIA assassination before mid year 1981. (The secret history of the American empire. John Pekins. ©2007 US).

1987 – Politics and petroleum in Ecuador by John D Martz.

12 October 2000 – Helicopter hijacking in Sucumbios province Ecuador. A group of armed kidnappers, led by former members of Colombian terror group, the Popular Liberation Army EPL. They took hostage ten employers of Spanish energy consortium REPSOL. Those kidnapped included one New Zealander, five US citizens, one Argentine, one Chilean and two French pilots, who escaped four days later. On 30 January 2001 the kidnappers murdered American hostage Ronald Sander. The remaining hostages were released on 23 February following the payment of $13 million in ransom by the oil companies.

2003 – Indians, oil and politics. A recent history of Ecuador. A Gerlach. SR books.

22 February 2007 – Ecuador plans to rejoin the OPEC countries, La Hora reported, citing Ecuador’s energy minister. Ecuador will seek OPEC’s endorsement for its oil plans. Including financial issues, and a report for Algerian council on matters related to natural gas. Ecuador is the fifth largest producer of oil in South America. Exporting 69% of its oil production. (Stratfor Intel summary).

April 2011 – Ecuador expels US ambassador, after Wikileaks published diplomatic cables, alleging widespread corruption in Ecuador’s police force. (Timelines BBC Internet).

9 February 2012 – Ecuador’s Foreign Minister said, police in Italy found nearly 90 pounds (40 kilos) of cocaine in January. It was in diplomatic mail sent to Italy. Two suspects were arrested. Crates inspected by police dogs before leaving Ecuador, travelled to Italy through a third country. (AP 2/9/12. Timelines Internet).

16 November 2012 – Body on yacht. Pacific’s largest cocaine haul was found on a yacht in Vava’u Tonga. the Pacific. It went from Ecuador and was bound for Australia, according to the US DEA in August. Organised crime syndicates were involved. (Matangi Tonga online).

20 November 2012 – Chevron seeks probe over Ecuador case. By Ed Crooks in New York. Oil and gas. Financial Times.