Two months into the term of populist Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa, green groups are hoping the environment will at last become a first-tier government priority in this country, while business leaders worry regulations will tighten. Correa, an ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, took office on Jan. 15, promising his policies will “make the human being a higher priority than capital.” The inaugural speech heartened environmental advocates, as did some of Correa’s choices for key posts. Those picks include María Fernanda Espinosa, a former World Conservation Union (IUCN) official, as foreign minister; consultant Alberto Acosta, an outspoken critic of the oil and mineral industries, as minister of energy and mines; and academician Fander Falconí, who has advocated a moratorium on new oil-drilling concessions... [Log in to read more]
