Assange set to stay in Ecuador embassy as leftist on verge of winning election

[webfact]

Assange set to stay in Ecuador embassy as leftist on verge of winning election

By Alexandra Ulmer

REUTERS

 

FILE PHOTO: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange makes a speech from the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy, in central London, Britain February 5, 2016. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/File Photo

 

QUITO (Reuters) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange dodged an eviction order in Ecuador's Sunday election, after the right-wing candidate who had vowed to kick him out of the country's London embassy was set to narrowly lose a presidential election.

 

Assange has been holed up in the tiny embassy for nearly five years, protected by Ecuador's current leftist government from extradition to Sweden over rape allegations.

 

Conservative presidential candidate Guillermo Lasso had vowed to roll back that welcome mat and remove Assange within 30 days of winning office, making global headlines and spooking Assange's supporters.

 

As it became clear Lasso was on the verge of defeat, Assange sent him a tongue-in-cheek message on Sunday night.

 

"I cordially invite Lasso to leave Ecuador within 30 days (with or without his tax haven millions)," wrote Assange on Twitter, amid accusations that Lasso had dodged taxes by stashing cash abroad.

 

Government candidate Lenin Moreno, meanwhile, has promised to keep hosting Assange in the Andean country's embassy - although he warned he may take a tougher stance.

 

Moreno said in an interview with leftist broadcaster TeleSUR in February that he would ask Assange "not to intervene in the politics of countries that are friends of Ecuador."

 

Assange, who enraged Washington by publishing a flood of secret U.S. diplomatic cables, entered the London embassy fearing that Sweden could end up sending him on to the United States where he could face a long prison term for leaking U.S. secrets. He has repeatedly denied the rape allegations.

 

Though he will be able to stay on in the embassy, the tight presidential election in Ecuador highlighted just how vulnerable he is should a new government be ushered in.

 

Lasso said Ecuador, a largely poor country struggling amid an economic downturn, was wrong to host Assange.

 

"Ecuador had no business spending a single cent protecting someone who definitely leaked confidential information," Lasso told Reuters in an interview in February in his sweltering coastal hometown of Guayaquil.

 

Despite its global importance, Assange's case barely featured in the Ecuadorean campaign, which centred on jobs and social benefits.

 

In 2010, WikiLeaks published thousands of classified U.S. military and diplomatic documents in what became one of the largest information leaks in U.S. history.

 

(Writing by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Girish Gupta and Michael Perry)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-04-03

[JimmyJ]

Good news.

[johna]

Assange was interviewed by Swedish prosecutors inside the Ecuadorian embassy last November. Prosecutors did not inform Assange's Swedish lawyer the date of the interview, a clear violation of Swedish law. This farce has now dragged on for 6 years. 

[dick dasterdly]

37 minutes ago, johna said:

Assange was interviewed by Swedish prosecutors inside the Ecuadorian embassy last November. Prosecutors did not inform Assange's Swedish lawyer the date of the interview, a clear violation of Swedish law. This farce has now dragged on for 6 years. 

First I've heard that Swedish prosecutors finally turned up to interview Assange!

 

What was the outcome of that interview - have the Swedish prosecutors said anything following the interview?

[dick dasterdly]

As for the OP, its appalling that Assange is apparently reliant on Ecuador politics to save him from politics - and yes, I realise the irony of that statement.

 

But at least Assange's plight is back in the news again.

 

I don't believe for one minute that there is a genuine rape charge to answer i.e. the 'rape' charge wouldn't be considered as such by any (?) other country (and certainly not Britain!) - so why the hell is Sweden pursuing this and the British government acting as enforcers at huge expense to taxpayers???

Edited April 3, 2017 by dick dasterdly

[JimmyJ]

Assange; Manning; Snowden et al:

 

When those who expose criminal acts are treated as criminals...

[Andaman Al]

I do not believe that Assange has a rape charge to answer to that would hold. However, as far as his 'leaks' go, he has politicised himself during the last US election and for that he has lost all sympathy and support from me and I think many others. I would argue strongly against any rape charge in Sweden and have studied the matter a lot, but I would not argue any more even one iota if he is extradited to the US to face the music there for what he has done with Wikileaks. He went from holding the high ground to being just another shmuck trying to interfere in global politics and for that he is as guilty as the Russians and should pay the price accordingly. Off into obscurity Assange and double to it.

[geriatrickid]

5 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

Assange; Manning; Snowden et al:

 

When those who expose criminal acts are treated as criminals...

You are  claiming that common thieves are heroes.  The self absorbed  emotionally unstable Manning was seeking attention not  acting with an altruistic intent. It backfired. He deserved prison.

 

Assange is a pathological liar and a manipulative bully. His actions put innocent peoples' lives at risk. He deserves what's coming to him.

 

Snowden is a slimy coward. Putin's got him by the balls and now he dances to Russia's music. He and his creepy skin growths will be right at home in the land of shmenge.

 

The Ecuador election is not over. The  allegations of voter fraud will need to be addressed. Apparently there have been too many irregularities to dismiss the questions.

[Scott]

An inflammatory post has been removed.   Please discuss the topic and not the person posting.  

[JimmyJ]

geriatrickid - "You are  claiming that common thieves are heroes.  The self absorbed  emotionally unstable Manning was seeking attention not  acting with an altruistic intent. It backfired. He deserved prison.

 

Assange is a pathological liar and a manipulative bully. His actions put innocent peoples' lives at risk. He deserves what's coming to him.

 

Snowden is a slimy coward. Putin's got him by the balls and now he dances to Russia's music. He and his creepy skin growths will be right at home in the land of shmenge.

 

The Ecuador election is not over. The  allegations of voter fraud will need to be addressed. Apparently there have been too many irregularities to dismiss the questions. "

 

 

 

 

An entire post of unsubstantiated and irrelevant ad hominem attacks largely based on subjective psychological assessments :


Manning: self absorbed; emotionally unstable; seeking attention; not  acting with an altruistic intent.


Assange: pathological liar; manipulative bully.


Snowden: slimy; coward.


Attack on physical appearance:


Snowden: creepy skin growths


Substance (?): (Repeating baseless allegations which have been disproven time and time again)


Assange: "His actions put innocent peoples' lives at risk".

There is not a shred of evidence that any evidence released by any of these 3 have caused harm to anyone.


Snowden:


"Snowden is a slimy coward".


Snowden volunteered for military service.

Snowden left a large salary and a girlfriend and a pleasant life in Hawaii to expose to the world illegal and unconstitutional actions, all for the good of the country and the world.

Snowden voluntarily unmasked his identity as the leaker.


" Putin's got him by the balls and now he dances to Russia's music"


Snowden has spoken out and given world coverage to his critiques of Putin's Russia, most recently within the last week criticizing Russia's attempts to stifle demonstrations.

By doing so he once again selflessly risks his own well being and safety.

Edited April 3, 2017 by JimmyJ

[snowgard]

19 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

Assange; Manning; Snowden et al:

 

When those who expose criminal acts are treated as criminals...

Did you mean the US President and his team of murders, remote murders and kidnappers too?

Edited April 4, 2017 by snowgard

[JimmyJ]

I edited my post #10, and inadvertently left this out:

 

"Assange is a pathological liar..."

 

Wikileaks has published volumes of information.

Not one sentence has ever been shown to be false.

Edited April 4, 2017 by JimmyJ

[JimmyJ]

 

 

 

geriatrickid - "Putin's got him by the balls and now he dances to Russia's music"

 

 

 

Snowden's tweet unedited - all 3 pix included in the original:

 

Edward Snowden‏Verified account @Snowden Mar 26

 

 

 

Sanctioned or unsanctioned, meeting peaceful protesters with force is clear injustice. 850+ arrests in Moscow, including journalist @ASLuhn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 4, 2017 by JimmyJ

[Shaunduhpostman]

Hopefully the new president isn't so leftist that he annoys someone to the point that we see another Kissinger-Nixon style U.S. sponsored coup ala Chile shortly after the lefist Salvador Allende was elected in 1972 I think it was.

 

Even so, it would seem that a lot still depends on the UK not just going ahead and storming the embassy illegally under pressure from the U.S. of course.

[alocacoc]

Silly. 50 police officers are guarding 24 hours the embassy. But the Red Bull heir is free to celebrate his parties in London.

[boomerangutang]

                     Trump loves Assange now, only because Assange contributed to Trump's win in November.   If Assange published anything which Trump didn't like, Trump would instantly hate Assange.  Trump has the emotional maturity of a 6 year old brat.  Love you one minute, hate you the next, ....all predicated on whether you give him candy or not.

[alocacoc]

3 minutes ago, boomerangutang said:

                     Trump loves Assange now, only because Assange contributed to Trump's win in November.   If Assange published anything which Trump didn't like, Trump would instantly hate Assange.  Trump has the emotional maturity of a 6 year old brat.  Love you one minute, hate you the next, ....all predicated on whether you give him candy or not.

Nah, I'm happy with Trump. He tweets every day. Soon he get up and will tweet.

 

Imagine if Hillary had won. Boring.

[nobU eoJ]

1 hour ago, boomerangutang said:

                     Trump loves Assange now, only because Assange contributed to Trump's win in November.   If Assange published anything which Trump didn't like, Trump would instantly hate Assange.  Trump has the emotional maturity of a 6 year old brat.  Love you one minute, hate you the next, ....all predicated on whether you give him candy or not.

I think Hillary contributed to Mr. Trump's illustrious victory at the same time sealing her fate (with a nudge from JA), after all, if not for her myriad of blunders, she may have prevailed. I guess we all need to hand out that candy to Donald J victory Trump for the next 4 years. it's just the way the cookie crumbles ma dear.

[ilostmypassword]

38 minutes ago, nobU eoJ said:

I think Hillary contributed to Mr. Trump's illustrious victory at the same time sealing her fate (with a nudge from JA), after all, if not for her myriad of blunders, she may have prevailed. I guess we all need to hand out that candy to Donald J victory Trump for the next 4 years. it's just the way the cookie crumbles ma dear.

Hillary wasn't the only contributor. We also have attorney general Comey and the Russians to thank.

[Andaman Al]

22 minutes ago, friendofthai said:

The type and level of stimulation that Trump supporters can handle. No synaptic gaps required.

[friendofthai]

1 minute ago, Andaman Al said:

The type and level of stimulation that Trump supporters can handle. No synaptic gaps required.

I think relationship among countries is very similar to relationship among humans. And also in the society you can see "the winners" who take responsibility for all that is happening in their life. This is how the real man should behave. And "the losers" who will tell you that anybody except them are responsible for all the bad things in their life. Yes - this is that simple.

[Andaman Al]

7 minutes ago, friendofthai said:

I think relationship among countries is very similar to relationship among humans. And also in the society you can see "the winners" who take responsibility for all that is happening in their life. This is how the real man should behave. And "the losers" who will tell you that anybody except them are responsible for all the bad things in their life. Yes - this is that simple.

Can you grace us all with your intellect then and tell us why Trump and his administration are such sore winners?

 

After you have done that then maybe you can also explain why people have to accept the nepotism and criminal, embarrassing behaviour from any individual just because he won an election. Did winning the election mean he is elevated above the law and the constitution? The amazing thing is that 36% (and decreasing) of Americans believe that Trump can be above the law. The USA is slowly drowning in its own crap.

[4MyEgo]

On 03/04/2017 at 10:02 PM, Andaman Al said:

I do not believe that Assange has a rape charge to answer to that would hold. However, as far as his 'leaks' go, he has politicised himself during the last US election and for that he has lost all sympathy and support from me and I think many others. I would argue strongly against any rape charge in Sweden and have studied the matter a lot, but I would not argue any more even one iota if he is extradited to the US to face the music there for what he has done with Wikileaks. He went from holding the high ground to being just another shmuck trying to interfere in global politics and for that he is as guilty as the Russians and should pay the price accordingly. Off into obscurity Assange and double to it.

What a shallow piece of garbage, the guy is a modern day hero, exposing the US for what it really is, I'm assuming that you wouldn't have the balls to do it

Edited April 4, 2017 by 4MyEgo

[4MyEgo]

23 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

You are  claiming that common thieves are heroes.  The self absorbed  emotionally unstable Manning was seeking attention not  acting with an altruistic intent. It backfired. He deserved prison.

 

Assange is a pathological liar and a manipulative bully. His actions put innocent peoples' lives at risk. He deserves what's coming to him.

 

Snowden is a slimy coward. Putin's got him by the balls and now he dances to Russia's music. He and his creepy skin growths will be right at home in the land of shmenge.

 

The Ecuador election is not over. The  allegations of voter fraud will need to be addressed. Apparently there have been too many irregularities to dismiss the questions.

Another ill informed, not accepting person who believes politicians and their agencies are above the law, suffice to say its ok to deceive the people, wake up man !

[Trouble]

In my opinion Assange has done the world a service.  Assange and Wikileaks are not responsible for stealing the information they publish.  America has not been putting reporters in jail when they publish information provided by "sources" inside the government when in fact that information should have stayed within official channels.  What Assange has done is prove to the little people just how governments work and why they protect so much of their information.  Whether it is a government insider leaking Trumps phone calls or the NSA tapping Merkel's phone, they are one in the same.  It is just not ethical behavior.  Sure there maybe reasons to monitor communications of foreign states the US make consider a threat, i.e. Russia, China, North Korea, but we now know that they are monitoring anything and everything, all in the name of the global war on terrorism. I find it repugnant that they have the ability to read my emails, listen to my calls, check my financial transaction, all basically without a warrant to do so. People everywhere have allowed their governments to just roll over their rights and there are no longer checks and balances to stop it.  This Assange thing now has become a vendetta by the US Government when in fact the US Government is the perpetrator of so many egregious acts it should be brought to task for overstepping it bounds.  The US outrage over the so-called Russian interference in the US election is almost laughable considering the history of the US in tampering in other countries affairs and elections.   Too bad Assange just can't be given Ecuadorian citizenship and then diplomatic immunity and shipped off to Ecuador where neither the US or their proxy Sweden can interfere.

[3NUMBAS]

Very good news to keep him banged up for the rest of his days..

[Credo]

57 minutes ago, 3NUMBAS said:

Very good news to keep him banged up for the rest of his days..

And nervous with every election about whether he can stay or will be given the boot out the door.   

[JimmyJ]

On 4/3/2017 at 7:02 PM, Andaman Al said:

...He went from holding the high ground to being just another shmuck trying to interfere in global politics and for that he is as guilty as the Russians and should pay the price accordingly.

Assange is a journalist/publisher.

He received info and published it online.

 

 

"... just another shmuck trying to interfere in global politics..."

If the USA election was affected by what Wikileaks published, it was affected by the actions of the Democrats revealed by the info Wiki published. So if anyone is to blame it is the ones whose illegal or at least unethical behavior was revealed. Don't behave illegally/unconstitutionally/unethically, and the election will not be affected.  It's hardly Assange's fault - he was doing what journalists are supposed to be doing.  The Washington press corps are not journalists, they are stenographers.

 

[Andaman Al]

13 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

If the USA election was affected by what Wikileaks published, it was affected by the actions of the Democrats revealed by the info Wiki published. So if anyone is to blame it is the ones whose illegal or at least unethical behavior was revealed. Don't behave illegally/unconstitutionally/unethically, and the election will not be affected. 

I assume you apply the same standard to the current leaks coming out of Washington to the illegal and unethical behaviour being displayed by members of the Trump Administration?

[dick dasterdly]

2 minutes ago, Andaman Al said:

I assume you apply the same standard to the current leaks coming out of Washington to the illegal and unethical behaviour being displayed by members of the Trump Administration?

Depends on the 'leaks'.

 

So far nobody has even said that Wikileaks leaks were incorrect - just that they were 'against the national interest/stolen' etc. etc.

 

IMO Assange is a hero.  One way or another a flawed hero, but his main flaw is more likely to be arrogance than anything else we've heard so far.