From:                   Accion Ecologica
To:                     Amigos del Ecuador
Date sent:              Tue, 25 Jan 2000 16:27:47 +0000
Subject:                Problems unresolved in Ecuador, arrest order 
                        requested for Indig

Dear Friends,

this is just to bring you  all up to date on the situation here in
Ecuador.

On the surface things appear to have returned to normal after the
occupation on Friday of the Congress and Presidential Palace by
indigenous people, social movements, and sympathetic military, and
the declaration of a Popular Salvation Government.

However, things are not quite what they seem. The new government
formed by Gustavo Noboa, gives every indication of wanting to
blindly follow the same economic policies that lead to last Friday's
uprising. The government has also asked the supreme court to issue
warrents for the arrest of Indigenous Leader Antonio Vargas, and
Carlos Solorzano who together with General Mendoza were to form the
governing triumvirate of the popular government. Arrest warrents
have also been requested for two memebrs of the Popular Front, who
took over the Supreme court.

At the same time the Congress is about to expell five members for
siding with the popular governement, amongst whom are Generals Paco
Moncayo, an honest and well respected hero of the war with Peru, and
Rene Yandun. The expulsion will probably lead to the arrest of the ex
congressmen, who maintain their position in favour of the colonels
who sided with the indigenous people.

In an interview today, Antonio Vargas the leader of CONAIE, stated
that if the government wanted to arrest him, they only had to make
the telephone call and he was ready to present himself,

"I a not a corrupt Banker who leaves the country with the money of
the Ecuadorian people in his pocke. The indigenous people are
fighting afgainst corruption and for justice. If they want to arrest
me I will be here waiting"

However, he stated that if they arrested him, the government  would
have to arest all the indigneous people and all the members of the
social groups who  formed part of the movement to install the popular
government.

Vargas also stated that the indigenous people now, as before, planned
a peacefull protest, and would maintain the state of alert given that
the government gave no signs of wanting a dialogue to achieve
fundamental changes in the system.

Salvador Quishpe, the leader of Ecuarunari (Quichua peoples
organisation)  also denounced the new Minister of State, saying that
he had been a part of the development of policies for the Popular
Parliament. According to sources the Minister, Huerta, had
participated on the condition that a total change be achieved.