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Showing posts from October, 2010

Was it a Coup d'etat?

On September 30th, 2010, Quito the capital of Ecuador was in shock by the police riots that took place at the Regimiento Quito 1 (Police Headquarters in the North side of the city). The police was (and still might be) unhappy with a new law for the public sector. This law, the police thought, would cut their bonuses and promotions. However, in reality the benefits still there but paid differently. The controversy and conflict took place when President Correa tried, mistakenly and wildly, to confront the crowd. Police men gathered at the Regimiento Quito 1 Thursday morning, they burned tires and declared themselves on strike. President Rafael Correa went to the Police Headquarters hoping he could calm the police force and get them back to work. However, things were about to take a wrong turn. As Correa, from a window, tried to convince the police that this law will not take away their labor benefits; police men chanted in favor of Lucio Guitirrez, Ecuador's former President a