Could this whole move be a joint agreement with the ecuadorian goverment to promote mining in Ecuador. Imagine many newspapers writing about this huge deal, growing and growing...

bid after bid... people becoming more and more enthusiastic...

after which all of a sudden the mining law appears during the bidding war... all guns fire in the air, people in ecuador cheer that once again they can work... all hell breaks lose as Kinross MUST announce a higher bid...

numerous countries around the world set their eyes on Ecuador as their next investment, an investment for at least the coming 10 years...

i like to dream... seems like a good idea though. why not. this whole affair saves the president alot of promoting work...