Ecuador

Despite democratisation across the region, personalist systems concentrate power in sometimes discredited presidents

Correa has proved adept at exploiting opposition weaknesses, but the oil price and China worries are causes for concern

Correa will need to balance a range of interests if he is to sustain public spending and advance re-election plans

Correa faces a range of opposition in the face of falling oil revenues and the quest for re-election

The pope is widely popular but may prove to have a stronger political than religious impact in the region

The mining sector could see Ecuador through oil price drops but its development will bring significant challenges

The opposition will use tax rises as a platform to attack Correa's re-election, as oil prices hit revenues and spending

Growth and fiscal woes will make it imperative for the government to attract new foreign oil investments