Ecuador’s political crisis is compromising key government functions, not the least of which is environmental protection of two high-profile resources—the Galápagos Islands and the country’s forests. The crisis, at a boiling point since December, when President Lucio Gutiérrez’s coalition partners in Congress engineered the wholesale replacement of judges with magistrates more politically attuned to them, has hampered virtually all manner of government operations. But experts say the environmental area—not a priority even in calm times—has suffered particular neglect and instability. In just 27 months in office, the Gutiérrez administration as of mid-April was on its fourth environment minister. The latest—Juan Carlos Camacho, whose background is in trade—took office Feb. 23 following former diplomat Fabián Valdivieso’s abrupt departure from... [Log in to read more]