ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses how Ecuador failed to change Brazil’s dominant role of natural leader for four main reasons. First, there was no asymmetrical material interdependence between the two countries at the time of the crisis. Second, the altercasting carried out by President Correa was poorly designed due to an exaggerated focus on Odebrecht misleading and BNDES financial toughness rather than targeting Brazil’s behavior and role of natural leader. Third, Ecuador did not manage to create a conflict among Brazilian domestic groups. Even leftist supporters of President Lula who on previous occasions favored Evo Morales and Fernando Lugo backed the Brazilian government instead of Ecuador’s claims. In this adverse scenario, even Venezuela’s partial support of Ecuador was not powerful enough to favor Ecuador against Brazil.
