Correa to auction off a gold Rolex, other gifts, to build houses for the poor

Correa on an official visit to Qatar in 2012. The emir gave him a gold Rolex watch.

President Rafael Correa says he will hold an online auction to sell off several gifts he and his son received during official trips abroad, including a shiny gold Rolex watch given to him by the emir of the oil-rich Gulf country of Qatar.

During his Saturday television broadcast, Correa said he also plans to auction off a gift from the Chinese government: a bicycle painted in Ecuador’s national colors of yellow, red and blue. The bike was a gift from Chinese President Xi Jinping during Correa’s state visit earlier this year.

Correa said he intends to use the proceeds from the auction to finance the construction of a “few houses” for the poor.

“We’re going to raise some funds,” Correa said. “Miguelito has already decided who he’s going to help with the money,” he added, referring to his son. “But we’re not going to say just yet.”

Usually, most of the gifts Correa receives are donated to a museum.

Correa said the auction will be held on social media, but didn’t say when.