Renouncing his political asylum, Mr Gutierrez – who was ousted in April – described his successor, Alfredo Palacio, as a usurper.
Ecuador’s government played down Mr Gutierrez’s announcement and said that if he returned he would be arrested for endangering national security.
Mr Palacio was recently forced to give in to a recent strike in the oil-producing region, and is struggling to enact promised political reforms.
