Statement by the Press Secretary/Director-General for Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on the Dismissal of President Gutierrez of the Republic of Ecuador

April 22, 2005

The National Congress of Ecuador, a South American country in which anti-government protests have recently been intensifying, adopted on April 20 a resolution to dismiss President Lucio Gutierrez, and Vice-President Alfredo Palacio assumed the new presidency.
From the viewpoint of placing importance on stability and democratization in Latin America, Japan is carefully following the current developments in Ecuador and strongly expects that stability and order will be restored as soon as possible in accordance with the constitution.

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