Will Ecuador drought dry up Correa’s popularity?

(Reuters) - A drought in Ecuador is causing power blackouts throughout the country, slowing the economy’s recovery and helping to push Rafael Correa’s popularity to the lowest point of his presidency.

The approval rating of the firebrand socialist fell to 42 percent in a recent Cedatos Gallup poll, half of what it was in the early days of his government in 2007.

Already frowned upon by some investors for his 2008 bond default and the tough stance he has taken with international oil companies, Correa faces a growing domestic challenge posed by the power outages spreading across this Andean country.

“Rolling blackouts are just going to further deteriorate Correa’s political standing,” said Patrick Esteruelas, analyst at the Eurasia Group consultancy in New York… more

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