Ecuador ousted US envoy to guard Correa's 'honour'

Ecuador said it had expelled the US ambassador to Quito to defend President Rafael Correa's honour, even though trade relations with Washington could suffer.

The OPEC member demanded on Tuesday that US envoy Heather Hodges leave, declaring her "persona non grata" over US diplomatic cables reporting alleged police corruption that were released by WikiLeaks.

The Ecuadorean government said the cables signed by Hodges' office suggested senior Ecuadorean police commanders were aware of corrupt practices in the force and that one US embassy official believed Correa's office also knew.

Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño said the decision to expel Hodges was made to defend Correa's honour, even though trade ties with the United States might suffer.

"(Trade) preferences are very important. I can't underestimate them ... but the president's honour is much more important," Patiño told a news conference.

Ecuador exports hundreds of products to the United States duty-free under the Andean Trade Preferences Act, a US program aimed at reducing illegal drug production in the region by creating other job opportunities.

The US government said the expulsion was unjustified, and that it was considering the appropriate response.

Patiño said Hodges' expulsion was aimed at reprimanding her for the statements in the cables, and that Ecuador was not accusing the US government of any wrongdoing.

"(Relations) are good for the time being and we haven't accused the US government of anything," he said.

Correa said on Tuesday that the "intrusion" by the US embassy into Ecuador's internal affairs had been "very serious," and that he expected Washington to take some form of diplomatic reprisal.

Correa, who is aligned with leftist governments in the region, has clashed with the United States before.

In 2009 he expelled two US embassy officials for meddling in internal affairs in a case related to equipment for the country's police force.