277. Letter from President Carter to Ecuadoran President of the Supreme Council Poveda1

Dear Mr. President:

I want to congratulate you and all the people of Ecuador on the exemplary conduct of your recent elections. The world admires the atmosphere of civic responsibility and respect for democratic rights in which the elections were carried out. My nation views this democratic experiment as extremely important, and we earnestly hope it will be a success. We look forward to the completion of this historic process. The government and the people of Ecuador have provided the hemisphere with a commendable example of what can be accomplished through a spirit of cooperation and conciliation.

As one of the principal architects of this historic retorno, you can take personal pride in that achievement; and as a citizen of Ecuador, you should be deeply gratified at the maturity and sense of responsibility your people have shown. I wish you all success in carrying out the next stages of this historic endeavor.

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I was pleased to hear that your conversation with our new Ambassador to Ecuador, Raymond E. Gonzalez, went so well.2 He enjoys my full confidence, and I hope you will communicate with him as you would with me.

Rosalynn and I join in wishing you our very best.

Sincerely,

Jimmy Carter
  1. Source: Carter Library, Carter Presidential Papers, Staff Offices, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, President’s Correspondence with Foreign Leaders File, Ecuador: President Alfredo Poveda Burbano, 4/77-5/79. No classification marking. Brzezinski sent a copy of the letter for signature to Carter under an August 2 covering memorandum, noting that the Department of State recommended that Carter send the letter to Poveda. In the right-hand margin next to his approval of that recommendation, Carter wrote “retorno?” and underlined it. NSC memoranda noted that it “was a word being used in Ecuador which represents their process of returning to democratic rule.” (Carter Library, Carter Presidential Papers, Staff Offices, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, President’s Correspondence with Foreign Leaders File, Ecuador: President Alfredo Poveda Burbano, 4/77-5/79) In telegram 7446 from Bogota, August 9, the Embassy reported that Vaky delivered the original of this letter to Poveda on August 8. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780325-1339)
  2. On July 16, Jaime Roldos, who replaced Bucaram as the candidate of the CFP, and his vice presidential running mate, Osvaldo Hurtado, received 31 percent of the vote, the most of any candidate, in the first round of presidential elections. Since none of the candidates gained a majority, a runoff election was scheduled. In an August 2 memo to Carter, Brzezinski noted that “there is some concern on our part that elements in the military will not permit him [Roldos] to win the runoff.” (Carter Library, Carter Presidential Papers, Staff Offices, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, President’s Correspondence with Foreign Leaders File, Ecuador: President Alfredo Poveda Burbano, 4/77-5/79) In telegram 5511 from Quito, August 8, the Embassy reported “that the Ecuadorean military are actively seeking a way to avoid having to turn power over to Roldos-Hurtado even though they probably want eventually to fulfill their commitment to the retorno process by turning power over to one of the more acceptable candidates.” (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D780323-1253)