Correa fires back at monsignor who says Ecuador needs time to heal

President Rafael Correa has rejected criticism from the new president of Ecuador’s Catholic Episcopal Conference who said last week that Correa’s style of governing has created a “badly divided country and a bad taste in people’s mouths.”

Monsignor Eugenio Arellano

Monsignor Eugenio Arellano made the comment following a meeting with President-elect Lenin Moreno. Arellano praised Moreno as having the temperament to “heal” the nation. Arellano added that many of the poorest Ecuadorians have been ignored by Correa’s government.

“It was an impertinent and gratuitous comment that does not reflect the accomplishments of my government,” Correa said. “The recent election validates what the government has done and proves that this is not a divided nation.”

Correa made his comments at the inauguration of the Unasur headquarters, north of Quito.

Suggesting that Arellano is part of the political opposition, Correa said, “What a pity that some sectors of the Church stoop to this low level,” adding: “I appreciate that he supports the winner of the election, my friend, but his comments about the state of the nation are wrong and uncalled for.”