Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and Ecuador's President Rafael Correa. AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa. All rights reserved.
According to Macchiavelli, staying in power is the essential goal in politics. To this end, the Prince can act above the law, break pacts and break his word, because what is at stake is the preservation of his rule. If, at any moment, the interest of the nation requires betrayal or manipulation, it is carried out regardless of the contradictions, especially if the ruler counts on media support.
In Ecuador, the recent social, environmental and territorial conflicts caused by mining in Nankints-Morona Santiago have triggered a propaganda campaign by the government. Its aim is to play down the social and environmental impact on the communities and indigenous peoples affected by the mining concessions and to generate a favourable opinion towards the government’s extractivist policies. It is a discursive tactic that emphasizes polarization and promotes a negative image of Them (the violent ones) as opposed to a positive image of Us (the civilized ones who defend progress).
