| Ecuador's president overthrown by mob There was a coup d'etat in Ecuador yesterday. After street protests, the country's president, 58-year-old Lucio Gutierrez, fled by helicopter from the Carondelet Palace and hid in the territory of the Brazilian embassy. Brazil announced that it would grant him political asylum.
The unrest in Quito erupted after the president declared a state of emergency in the capital a week ago and announced the dissolution of the Supreme Court. The opposition accused him of dictatorial habits. On Wednesday in Quito, during the dispersal of demonstrators, three people were killed, 17 were injured, and several dozen were hospitalized due to tear gas poisoning. After this, the military refused to support the president.
Colonel Lucio Gutierrez himself organized a coup against President Jamil Maouad in 2000. He was president for three hours, then spent six months in prison. In 2002, he defeated oligarch Alvaro Noboa in the elections. The colonel was supported by poor Indians, Marxists, leftist trade unions, the poor - this is 60% of the 13 million population of Ecuador. Gutierrez began to be compared to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
Yesterday, the Ecuadorian parliament stripped Gutierrez of his presidential powers “for leaving his post.” Vice President Alfredo Palacio was declared the new president. “An end has been put to the dictatorship, the fear and horror in which the Ecuadorian people have lived recently,” he said. At this time, the crowd destroyed the building where he took the oath. “Get out, everyone,” the rioters demanded. The new president barely managed to escape; some congressmen were found in the toilet and beaten. One congressman was forced to kneel down and write a statement on his resignation as a deputy on a piece of paper.
As press attache of the Russian embassy Sergei Leontyev told Vremya Novostei, during the riots, “according to the consular department, not a single Russian citizen was injured.” In total, about three thousand Russians live in Ecuador. Ecuador has good relations with Russia. As VN learned from diplomatic sources, at Quito’s request, preparations were underway for Lucio Gutierrez’s visit to Russia. It could take place as early as this summer.
Ecuador is Russia's second trading partner on the Latin American continent after Brazil. Trade turnover in 2004 reached $330 million, the bulk of which came from bananas and cut flowers. Niva cars are assembled in Ecuador, and negotiations are underway on the participation of Russian companies in oil production. Several Russian banana importers have purchased their own banana plantations in Ecuador. According to the Russian embassy, “the latest events will not affect the interests of Russian business in Ecuador.” Andrey ZLOBIN |
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