As we speak, President Lucio Gutierrez of Ecuador is wholled up in the Quito airport, trying to flee the country. Meanwhile, the airport is surrounded by the military, who have been ordered by the new authorities to arrest Lucio and not allow him to leave the country. It seems his airplane is going to escape...it is absolute deja vu from October, 2003 in Bolivia when President Goni escaped in his helicopter as the people of El Alto surrounded the airport to try to stop him.
Lucio, who was elected with the support of Ecuador's indigenous population, but subsequently turned his back on them, has been forced out after a week of massive protests. Today the Congress voted to oust him, while the military withdrew their support ond the chief of police resigned. So, as the protests continued, Lucio took off for the airport to try to get out. His VP who distanced himself from Lucio months ago, has taken over. It is incredibly similar to Goni's overthrow here. I almost took a flight from my fulbright conference to Quito 5 days ago, but decided it was going to take awhile. missed it again. The sad thing is the one person killed so far was a photographer who has been in ecuador documenting the indigenous movements for 30 years, Julio Garcia. Who will be next? Bolivia's Mesa or Peru's Toledo??