Former Ecuador President Granted Asylum in Panama (Bucaram)

[struggle4progress]

<snip> He has sought and been granted asylum in Panama four times since the 1980s.

Mr. Bucaram led Ecuador for six months until February 1997, before legislators declared him mentally unfit to rule. Officials also accused him of stealing more than million from public funds when he left power.

He returned to Ecuador last month after a Gutierrez-appointed Supreme Court annulled the corruption charges against him.

However, Mr. Bucaram's return helped fuel the protests against Mr. Gutierrez that led to his ouster. Mr. Gutierrez is now in Brazil, where he has been granted asylum.

http://www.politinfo.com/articles/article_2005_05_7_2538.html

[Zorro]

1. He's a thief that should be in prison

During his short term as president, Bucaram devised a variety of ways to rob Ecuadoreans and tourists...just imagine being told at customs that your personal belongings were "taxable" and would be confiscated unless you forked over a couple hundred dollars to the customs "inspector".

This type of blatant corruption was widespread, and was what led the US ambassador to register complaints with the government, which eventually sparked Bucaram's removal from power.