Guadalupe Larriva, the Ecuadorean defence minister, has been killed in a helicopter collision in the Pacific port city of Manta.
Monica Chuji, a government spokeswoman, said: "We can confirm the death of the minister, of one of her children and two pilots in the crash of two helicopters."
According to local media reports, the two Ecuadorean military helicopters crashed in mid-air at about 9pm on Wednesday (02:00GMT Thursday). Rafael Correa, the president, was flying from the southern port city of Guayaquil to the scene of the crash.
Larriva took office on January 15 after being named Ecuador's first woman defence minister by Correa, the newly inaugurated president.
Correa appointed seven women to his cabinet, saying he wanted to promote gender equality in his country. Larriva was a university professor and leader of the country's small Socialist party.
She had promised to strengthen presidential control of military ranks, improve salaries for the armed forces and make the promotions system more transparent in a country where the military has helped to remove three presidents in 10 years.
Correa asked the country to "pray for the soul of Guadalupe, her daughter, her family and the government of Ecuador".
Source: Al Jazeera English Edition
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I can't believe this. I will wait until the independent investigations from Chile and France reach their conclusions, but it all seems too much. There was a lot of anger when she was chosen as Defense minister: she was the first civilian ever to occupy that position, and a woman to boot. This is really bad.
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4 comments:
It does seem to be too much of a coincidence doesn't it?... but we also know that crazy things happen in Ecuador because of a lack of planning and foresight. Hopefully the independant inquiry will get somewhere. Correa has done the right thing by reacting in the way he has. He will have to be careful as he is angering the rich and big business by raising taxes on them. he is tweaking the noses of the powerful in Ecuador- hope he survives
Ug. That is really frustrating. i'm sorry beth.
I just got excited because I thought your parents might have a blog, but no such luck. how are they doing? They've been in my thoughts and prayers often, as have you.
what is WITH Ecuadorian politicians dying in helicopter crashes?
I believe hell broke loose in Rawanda after a suspicious plane crash with a newly elected president. I wonder how it is that even a single nation cannot be at peace with itself.
Kent
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