Martin Pallares (political editor of El Comercio) interviews President Rafael Correa.  http://tinyurl.com/3ykpqo

 It's 3 AM, and having sat up half the night reading this, I'm far too tired to translate the whole thing.  I may attempt that over the next day or so, but for now I'll just sumarize a few key points.

If you understand Spanish, I highly recommend you read this.  I don't, however, recommend Babelfish as a translator.   That thing is next to useless - it doesn't parse context very well, and it can't even get the verbs right half the time.  If someone has a better engine, please post the link.

Unlike some of his associates, Correa speaks very clearly.  He is precise, and to the point.  Some of the questions were about his relationship with the press, others on how he views the citizen's revolution, one year out.

 Nothing specific about mining, but he did mention the need for hydro-electric projects as a top priority to reduce importation of diesel fuel. 

[my guess is, he doesn't want to come right out and say we need the electricity for copper mining, but that would certainly fit with what he's said about mining all along]

 I will translate one passage though, because it bears directly on what I was saying about divisions within the AP. 

"La oposición debe apoyar en ciertas cosas y  tratar de lograr, en los puntos de divergencia, una síntesis superior a la tesis y a la antítesis.  Eso es lo que ocurre al interior de Alianza País. Usted podrá ver que  entre  los  asambleístas de Acuerdo País, existe lo que en otros países se llama oposición."

 The opposition ought to be supportive in certain things and try to obtain, in the divergence of views, a synthesis superior to thesis and antithesis. That is what happens within Alianza País.  You will see, that between the members of Acuerdo País, there exists what in other countries would be called opposition.

 [I'm not exactly clear what the difference is between Alianza Pais, and Acuerdo Pais.  Could someone help clear this up?]

 I also think this passage is important:

¿Qué sistema político es el ideal para  Rafael Correa?

La democracia liberal occidental que  existe desde la época de Montesquieu  o Tocqueville. Pero insisto: si usted lee a Alexis de Tocqueville, en su obra ‘Democracia en América’,  verá que lo primero que dice es que lo que más le sorprendió es la igualdad social y económica que hay en América. Las democracias formales no sirven mientras no haya esas transformaciones de fondo.

What political system is ideal for Rafael Correa? 

Western liberal democracy, which has existed since the time of  Montesquieu or Tocqueville.  But I insist, if you read Alexis de Tocqueville's ‘Democracy in America’ you will see that the first thing he says is that what most surprised him is the social and economic equality that there is in America. The formal democracies do not serve without those transformations at their base.

I find his reference to Tocqueville a bit peculiar myself, and feel it could leave him open to criticism on some fairly fundamental points.  Read up on Tocqueville and see if you don't agree:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexis_de_Tocqueville

 Still, it's better than quoting Karl Marx...LOL! 

 There's a lot more, but I'm just too tired to continue, and I'm sure it will keep until tomorrow.

ebear