Ecuador President Rafael Correa tweeted "Heil Hitler" on Thursday in response to a tweet that criticized his rule as fascist in nature.
The original tweet claimed that Osvaldo Hurtado, former president of Ecuador and a staunch critic of Correa, described the latter’s regime as fascist. Correa responded, in an apparent attempt at humor, with, "Heil Hitler!"
Correa’s government has been widely criticized for its shady public relations practices in the United States, repression of journalists, and attempts to intimidate critical news outlets, including this website. Government opponents are concerned Correa could follow the path of other authoritarian Latin American leaders and remove presidential term limits.
Correa recently appeared in a photograph with a boy who, unbeknownst to the strongman, was wearing a shirt adorned with the phrase, "I’m with stupid" and an arrow pointing at him.