It may be difficult to discuss this issue without getting extremely political (and I'm sure there are a wide range of political views represented here, as in any group like this), but let's try.
If Ecuador gives Edwin Snowden asylum (regardless of how we individually may feel about Snowden or about giving him asylum), it could have an impact on US expats in Ecuador. That's what I would like to discuss, if possible.
Here the situation Ecuadorian exports are currently given tariff preference in the US under the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act, which happens to be coming up for renewal next month. If Ecuador gives asylum to Snowden, it seems unlikely the preferences would be renewed.
Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, promised Wednesday that he would block renewal of the pact should Snowden be granted asylum.
"Our government will not reward countries for bad behavior," he said in a statement, following other lawmakers who have spent years saying that the pact should be allowed to lapse, partly down to the country's links with Iran.
This matters considerably to Ecuador, since more than 50% of their exports go to the US (more than 100,000 people work in the flower-growing business, almost all of which is based on export to the US, for example).
If the US cuts off imports from Ecuador, people will lose jobs. With the government controlling the media, one can be certain that this will be trumpeted loudly (and every job loss, related to exports or not, will be blamed on the US).
So here's the question: How unfriendly will things become for expats if/when Ecuadorians start losing their jobs? This situation is making me think twice about my plans to move to Quito later this year hopefully the situation will be at least clarified by then.