Ecuadoreans rally in support of Assange asylum

Hundreds of Ecuadoreans have been showing their support for the government’s decision to grant asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

The rally also appeared to be a significant boost for the already very popular President Rafael Correa who is expected to run for re-election next February.

He has portrayed the standoff with Britain as a struggle between a small nation and a “colonial power.” Now Correa has warned Britain it would be committing diplomatic suicide if it enters the Ecuadorian embassy in London.

“It would set a precedent that would allow the diplomatic premises of the UK in other parts of the world to be violated. The U.K. would not have any say on this. It would be quite terrible,” he said. Correa went on to describe Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron as “quite a disastrous leader.”

“The British say they have no choice but to extradite him but why didn’t they extradite Augusto Pinochet?” he added.

The interview broadcast on state television began with a report showing Assange meeting his lawyer, the former Spanish judge, Baltasar Garzon.

Britain says it is obliged to extradite the Australian anti-secrecy campaigner to Sweden, where he faces questioning over sex assault allegations, which he denies

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