Ecuador to Oust U.S. Ambassador over WikiLeaks Spat. Who's Next?

Sarah Miller Llana
The Christian Science Monitor
April 6, 2011

WikiLeaks has claimed its second diplomatic victim in Latin America, with Ecuador expelling its US ambassador over her comments in a leaked cable, straining bilateral relations and casting a shadow over US efforts in the region...

While a falling domino affect on US ambassadors is unexpected, analysts say that rough patches in bilateral relations across the region could lie ahead.

“It will give a good excuse for any politician who aspires to make the US a punching bag to be able to do it,” says Christopher Sabatini, editor-in-chief of the policy journal Americas Quarterly, published by the Council of the Americas, in New York. “It gives them more fodder”...

...In Mexico, meanwhile, Carlos Pascual on March 19 announced his resignation as ambassador after he butted heads with Mexican President Felipe Calderón over his military-run strategy to counter drug crime, a strategy that has cost more than 35,500 lives since Mr. Calderón took office in late 2006.

Mr. Sabatini says the case shows how crucial the US considers its partnership with Mexico in fighting drug trafficking.

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