Ecuador’s president rescued from police

Financial Times:

Ecuadorean armed forces rescued Rafael Correa, the president, amid a hail of bullets after a tense stand-off with police officers who had trapped the leftist leader in a hospital for hours.

At least two men died in the crossfire on Thursday night as police in riot gear and army troops exchanged fire around the president’s car as he sought to leave the hospital.

After troops stormed the hospital, Mr Correa, who earlier had said he would leave only “as president or as a dead man”, greeted thousands of supporters outside the presidential palace.

He called for a minute of silence to mourn the day’s victims, including police, saying: “Ecuadorean blood, blood of my brothers, for nothing”.

At least five people died during protests that shut down airports in Quito and Guayaquil and saw police seize buildings in several cities.

The police officers were protesting proposed cuts to their bonuses and curtailed promotions, part of an austerity drive that is being opposed by some within Mr Correa’s own party.

Mr Correa has said he will dissolve parliament and rule by decree until a new election if necessary to push forward his agenda.

Mr Correa’s attempt to placate rioting police protesters quickly turned ugly early Thursday and the leftist leader was injured slightly when demonstrators shot a tear gas canister towards him.

Limping slightly from knee surgery last week and with his gas mask half torn off, Mr Correa sought sanctuary in a police hospital. He spoke on television by telephone, saying that a coup was being perpetrated by “sections of police, armed forces and the opposition” and that he feared for his life. Attempts to land a rescue helicopter were thwarted.

The head of Ecuador’s armed forces threw his weight behind the president and the government declared a state of emergency for a week.

Diego Borja, director of Ecuador’s central bank, went on television to plead for calm and prevent a run on deposits by a populace that still bears the scars of a late ‘90s banking system collapse. “Your money is safe,” Mr Borja sad, “But be careful making big deposits.”

Mr Correa said nobody had done more for police than his government and that the revolt left him “profoundly sad, like there was a knife in my back”.

He accused Lucio Gutierrez, a former president, of trying to take advantage of the police uprising and pull off a coup d’état.

Mr Gutierrez, who was ousted from government in a popular uprising in 2005, denied the accusation from Brasilia

“[Correa] continues to blame traditional politicians for what is happening in Ecuador, where he has been president for four years,” said Mr Gutierrez.

After emerging from the hospital, a triumphant Mr Correa thanked leaders from across the political spectrum in Latin America who had united strongly behind him in emergency sessions of the Organisation of American States in Washington and Unasur [Union of South American Nations] in Buenos Aires.

Luis Benigno Gallegos, Ecuador’s ambassador to the US, told the FT he was very satisfied with the depth of support offered up by the US and leaders from countries including Colombia, Peru, Argentina and Venezuela. Both Peru and Colombia closed their borders with Ecuador.

The US expressed strong backing for Mr Correa, saying in a statement: “The US deplores violence and lawlessness and we express our full support for President Rafael Correa and the institutions of democratic government in that country.”

The response contrasted with the Bush administration’s more ambivalent reaction to an attempted coup in Venezuela in 2002, after which relations between Washington and the government of Hugo Chavez deteriorated markedly.

Mr Correa now faces the most difficult moment of his presidency, threatening the country’s most stable administration since 1996, according to Jefferson Finch, analyst for New York-based Eurasia Group.

“Though at least three presidents have been overthrown since 1996, not one of them enjoyed the levels of support Correa does,” Mr Finch said.