The Ecuadorian government has threatened to take over foreign oil concessions¹ if the companies resist growing state control of the industry.

厄瓜多尔政府向外国石油公司发出威胁，如果他们拒绝提高政府对其控制权，政府将收回优惠举措。

Rafael Correa has pitted himself against international business before

President Rafael Correa said every day millions of dollars were going to oil companies that should go to the state.

The government has been pressing the companies to give up concessions that give them a share of oil field profits and accept service contracts instead.

Oil firms operating in Ecuador come from Spain, Brazil and Italy.

'Serious action'

President Correa said during a televised address on Saturday: "Every day that passes there are millions of dollars going to these companies that should be going to the Ecuadorean state.

"I'm out of patience. We are sending a bill to Congress that would allow for the expropriation（没收，征收） of oil fields should the companies not want to sign the new contracts.

"The oil companies are playing with us. In the coming weeks there are going to be very considerable actions. I have no regard for these companies, which have abused our country."

Foreign oil companies operating in Ecuador currently include Brazil's oil giant Petrobras and Repsol-YPF, dominated by Spanish and Argentine capital.

In 2008, Mr Correa defaulted on $3.2bn (£2bn) of foreign debt he described as "illegitimate", calling the international lenders "monsters".

Ecuador is Latin America's fifth-biggest oil producer but World Bank estimates show that some 56% of the country's 13.4 million people live in poverty.

That figure rises to more than 80% for indigenous²（本土的，国产的） Ecuadoreans, who are mainly small farmers in mountainous highlands.