More than a coup -- a deliberate attempt to kill Correa

[rabs]

It is now looking like it was more a plan to assassinate Correa than to stage a coup 'd etat.

The Interior Minister gave a news conference today in which he flat-out says the mutineers were trying to kill the president by ambushing him when he left the hospital last night.

I posted last night that the presidential vehicle, a Nissan Patrol, had been hit with bullets as Correa's convoy left the hospital. The Interior Minister today said that not only Correa's vehicle was hit, but others in the convoy as well.

Pix of Correa's vehicle


Bullet hole in the windshield.


Impacts on what looks to be the back of the Nissan.


Gustavo Jalkh -- Interior Minister

“Lo que pasó ayer es particularmente grave en la historia de la institución policial y del Ecuador: ayer se pretendió atentar contra la vida del presidente de la República, los hechos sí lo demuestran”, sostuvo. Audio:

-- "What occurred yesterday is particularly grave in the history of the police institution and of Ecuador; yesterday (there was an attempt) against the life of the president of the republic, the facts show it."


Se enviaban mensajes de que el presidente podía salir con ‘toda tranquilidad’ del hospital de la Policía. Sin embargo, análisis de inteligencia nos mostraban que esa calle de honor era una mezcla de policías arrepentidos, infiltrados, sediciosos y francotiradores que estaban listos para atentar contra la vida del presidente de la República, los hechos así lo demostraron posteriormente”.

-- Messages were sent that the president could leave with "total tranquility" from the police hospital. However, intelligence analysis show us that the "calle de honor" (police guard to protect Correa) was a mixture of disgruntled police, infiltrators, seditious (persons) and snipers who were ready to attempt against the live of the president of the republic, the facts showed it later.

“El vehículo del presidente de la República fue impactado reiteradas veces con disparos de fusil. Esto demuestra que este levantamiento no era para reivindicar condecoraciones ni para demandar alzas salariales, que nunca se habían dejado de atender; nadie va a disparar al presidente de la República para que le suban la remuneración, nadie le dispara al presidente de la República para obtener una condecoración”, continuó.

--The president's vehicle was struck repeated times with rifle shots. This demonstrates that the uprising was NOT TO RE-VINDICATE MEDALS NOR TO DEMAND SALARY RAISES, which had never been denied, NO ONE IS GOING TO FIRE AT THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC FOR A SALARY RAISE, NO ONE FIRES AT THE PRESIDENT TO OBTAIN A MEDAL ..."

Article in Spanish

http://andes.info.ec/portada/%e2%80%9ccorredor-de-honor-para-el-presidente-correa-era-realmente-una-emboscada%e2%80%9d-testimonio-gustavo-jalkh-31971.html


(caps mine)

[EFerrari]

1. Exactly. Holding the president hostage

and trying to kill him is not a bargaining move.

[Downwinder]

2. Three deteriorating steps.

1. Coup

2. Hostage

3.Assignation

[EFerrari]

4. I would like to know whose idea it was for the president to go to the barracks

in the first place.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Sound reasoning, isn't it? Some honor guard they sent. Hey, thanks for the calle de honor. God. n/t

[EFerrari]

5. Ecuadoran police colonels accused of plot to kill president

QUITO, Saturday 2 October 2010 (AFP) -- Soldiers were on patrol in Ecuador's main cities Saturday following the arrest of three senior police officers charged with attempting to kill President Rafael Correa during a police mutiny.

The officers, all police colonels, were arrested Friday for their role in the gunfire and street clashes Thursday that that killed eight people and left 274 wounded, the prosecutor's office told AFP.

The unrest began in Quito as a protest against cuts to bonus payments linked to seniority, and spread to police stations in five other provinces.

"There is calm in the country and calm at police stations," Interior Minister Gustavo Jalkh told reporters Friday.

The head of the national police, General Freddy Martinez, resigned Friday over the incident.

http://www.mysinchew.com/node/45838?tid=37