Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa has turned the tables on Washington and threatened to release a report on human rights abuses in the US in response to State Department criticism of Latin American governments.
In the continent's latest assertion of independence from its overbearing northern neighbour - Ecuador has already closed down a US airforce base in the country - Mr Correa hit back at what he termed the US government's propensity to issue reports on other countries' "progress" in advancing human rights while ignoring abuses committed by itself.
"The State Department has criticised Ecuador for an alleged lack of press freedom," Mr Correa stated.
He pointed out that the claim was extensively covered in the Ecuadorian press and used by opposition-supporting media executives to attack his government.
"What if Ecuador makes a report about human rights abuses in the US?" the president asked.
"In that country there was legalised torture - or has the US State Department forgotten that?"
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