I recently got this email from a subscriber…
“I enjoy your emails about Ecuador but have become concerned that it is becoming known as the safe haven of enemies of the United States. First it was Julian Assange from Wikileaks, and now it is Edward Snowden.”
My response:
Well, yes, it is becoming a safe-haven, isn’t it obvious!
This is what happens when a leader plays to his own ego instead of doing what’s truly best for the country.
Maybe, being an oil-producing country with plentiful fresh water sources and extremely fertile farmland, Ecuador really doesn’t need the US, but someday it might.
What I do know is there’s quite a few folks in Ecuador whose clients are primarily North Americans (paticularily in the tourism and exporting industries), and if Ecuador starts to garner a bad rap, than yes, these businesses will be hurt.
Now I hate politics as much as anybody and don’t want to get into it but I look at it like this…
Any little guy like myself with leanings toward dorkiness… yet survived middle school in the USA knows it doesn’t pay to tick off a bully. There’s nothing to be gained from it, you’re best to lay low, mind your own business and let the authorities sort out the injustices.
If I were Ecuador my response would have been to simply not get involved in the “Assange, Snowden” cases.
But does this effect Ecuador as a quality, safe, inexpensive place to live with a mild climate somewhat near the US that accepts foreigners wholeheartedly?
No, not really.
Most Ecuadorians have family in the US, and feel a special bond with Americans so i don’t think rascism towards North Americans will ever be an issue and it will remain a nice place to live despite these very-political occurances.
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