By Telesur

In an interview that covered a wide range of topics, President Rafael Correa summed up the work of his government, saying, “Ecuador has changed, nothing and no one can stop this revolution.”

Correa will celebrate eight years as president Thursday as part of his Citizen's’ Revolution. He spoke about the many achievements made in the country during his administration and pointed to the work he intends to focus on for the next period.

The president counts himself as part of the wave of revolutionary leaders that swept into power throughout Latin America and considers himself an adherant of 21st century socialism.

“One of the premises of 21st century socialism is that people govern markets,” said Correa.

According to Correa, the first phase of the Citizens’ Revolution was dedicated to re-founding and strengthening the state, which under successive neoliberal governments had failed to meet the needs of the Ecuadorean people.

The next phase involves a transition to an economy no longer dependent on finite resources and a change of the productive model of the country. Ecuador has invested heavily in education, and in the interview Correa said the economy must now be based in the unlimited resources such as “innovation, science, and human talent.”

The president also answered some of his critics, arguing that businesspeople who criticize his government are more concerned with politics and power than business.

“Those with a business mindset have been very happy (with my government) but there are others who are irritated that they no longer run the government,” said Correa. Before the Citizens’ Revolution, the businesspeople in the country dominated political affairs.

Correa has also had his share of critics on the left, who suggest that the Citizen's Revolution has not gone far enough. The president answered by stating that he has ruled pragmatically, that his interest has always been the well-being of the country and adding that it would be vain to maintain a rigid ideological line “while the country collapses.”

Recently, his government has come under fire for ordering the eviction of the Indigenous umbrella group the CONAIE from a government building for violating the terms of the agreement. Correa insisted that the indigenous people in the country are with the government and pointed to the electoral successes his party had in regions with a high population of Indigenous peoples.

President Correa closed his interview with a great sense of optimism about the Citizens’ Revolution and the future of the country.

“We are capable of overcoming any problem,” he said.