Ecuadoran Leader Vows To Fight Corruption
Newly installed President Gustavo Noboa named some members of his cabinet today as his government began trying to restore public confidence in the political system of a country that has had six presidents since 1996.</br></br>Noboa became president of this small South American country Saturday after Jamil Mahuad was ousted following week-long protests by thousands of Indians that culminated in their taking over the Congress and Supreme Court buildings on Friday.</br></br>After the takeovers, a three-man junta was formed, only to fall apart when the army general on the team dissolved it, following pressure from the United States and other countries.</br></br>Congress then quickly voted Vice President Noboa into the presidency, leaving him to try to calm a population that is bowed under the country's worst economic crisis in decades and is profoundly cynical about government's ability to do anything about it.</br></br>In brief comments to reporters today, Noboa said his top priority was to establish a government "with great transparency and honesty. Everyone should know that I will fight corruption."