Today's Democracy Now show covers the Ecuador situation.

[Billy Burnett]

Segment one features Ecuador.

10-01-10
http://www.democracynow.org/

Ecuador in State of Emergency after Attack on Correa

Ecuador has declared a state of emergency after President Rafael Correa escaped what he’s denounced as a coup attempt against him by members of Ecuador’s armed forces. On Thursday, a group of police officers attacked Correa as he met with them to discuss new austerity measures. Correa was rushed to a hospital after a tear gas canister exploded near his face. He was then held captive for twelve hours after police officers surrounded the hospital, trapping him inside. Correa was ultimately freed in an operation by military forces loyal to his presidency. In addition to the attack on Correa, mutinous police and soldiers also stormed Congress, blocked roads, set fires outside their barracks and took control of Quito’s international airport. At least two people were killed and dozens injured.

[Judi Lynn]

1. Interesting learning that during Correa's time there, police salaries have gone from $150.00

to over %600.00 or $650.00 or something. Quite the boost already, within several years. What can these guys have been thinking?

It was good to hear one of the speakers reiterate something I heard last night a couple of time: some of the cops who rebeled had actually been the targets of disinformation. That's what Correa had told them yesterday, that they had the information all wrong, that they were thinking something which was absolutely false.

Hope they're proud of themeselves. Hope the find the parties who put this one over on them in order to enlist their muscle.

Thanks, Billy Burnett. Recommending.

[EFerrari]

3. As a group, the national police have been had.

The question is, by whom.

[EFerrari]

2. Juan did a great job this morning of restoring context that the presstitutes

have ignored.

Also, fyi, Enrique posted one of these videos to our video forum (first one at the link). But imo, the other two of the stand off at the hospital are even more important.

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/01/dramatic-video-of-a-stand-off-in-ecuador/

[Judi Lynn]

4. The tension would have been unbelievable in the last two. Geez.

A whole lot of people were uncommonly courageous on behalf of protecting their President.

Whole lot of shooting going on in those two segments.

Rafael Correa's great temper came out in force when he challenged them to stop hiding in the crowd like cowards and give him their best shot.

Amazing.

[Peace Patriot]

5. I want to remind everybody of the contretemps in early 2009 between the U.S. embassy

and Police Chief Hurtado/President Correa...

On February 7, 2009, Correa ordered the expulsion of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement attaché Armando Astorga for allegedly suspending $340,000 in annual aid because Ecuador would not allow the US State Department to veto appointments to the anti-smuggling police. He cited as evidence a letter Astorga allegedly sent (January 8) demanding that the anti-contraband police return all donated equipment. Subsequently, on February 17, Mark Sullivan, the US Embassy's first secretary in the embassy's office of regional affairs was given 48 hours to leave the country because of his "unacceptable meddling." Foreign Minister Fander Falconi said Sullivan, in a meeting with police in early February, questioned a decision by Ecuadorean Police Chief Jaime Hurtado to transfer the head of the Special Investigations Unit to another police post.<20>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_policy_of_Rafael_Correa
(links and footnotes at the wiki article)

Too bad Hurtado seems to be "collateral damage" in this situation. (He just resigned.) Don't know anything about his competence, but he must have courage since he was the one who fought off U.S. vetoing of Ecuadoran appointments to the anti-smugglling ("war on drugs") police.

[Bacchus39]

6. you sure you read that right?

the Foreign Minister questioned the decision by Hurtado to transfer the head of the SIU to another post. that's what I am reading.


on edit: My bad actually. probably not a bad idea for him to resign though.