Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2001 01:48:04 EST
Reuters: Ecuador says bid to oust government behind protests

 Ecuador says bid to oust government behind protests
 By Amy Taxin

   
 QUITO, Ecuador, Feb 3 (Reuters) - Ecuador claimed on Saturday 
"extremist  politicians" were manipulating a massive Indian protest 
against price hikes  to try to overthrow the government a year after 
a similar uprising ended in a  coup. 

 In a televised address to the nation, Interior Minister Juan Manrique 
said the political group, which he did not identify, wanted to 
"disrupt order in the Republic, alter the legal system and 
illegitimately grasp the power of the state." 

 The address came a day after the government declared a national state 
of emergency empowering the military to evict thousands of protesters 
-- some carrying spears -- who have flooded into Quito and blocked key 
highways across the Andean nation. 

 Over the last week, security forces firing teargas have clashed with 
protesters who object to government-mandated gasoline and public 
transport price hikes that -- backed by the International Monetary 
Fund -- are intended to boost ailing state coffers. The impoverished 
nation of 12.4 million people is embroiled in one of its worst 
economic crises in decades. 

 Last year, after widespread demonstrations the same Indian leaders 
who have organized the current protest took over the Congress building 
in a move that led, with support from some in the military, to the 
ouster of then-President  Jamil Mahuad. 

 Political analysts have said it is unlikely this year's protests will 
topple Mahuad's successor President Gustavo Noboa because he has the 
backing of the  business community and, in particular, the military, 
which often acts a key  powerbroker. 

 Still, Noboa is struggling to consolidate political stability in the 
 Italy-sized nation that has had four presidents in the last four 
 years. 

 STANDOFF ON CAMPUS 

 About 5,000 Indian protesters have gathered in Quito at the Salesian 
 University, where security was tightened on Saturday. Indians 
carrying spears manned the doors, restricting traffic flows and 
checking visitors' identification. 

 The government's imposition of the national state of emergency 
indicated that security forces might evict the protesters from the 
university during the  week, political analysts said 

 Defense Minister Hugo Unda told Ecuadoreans in Saturday's government 
address that the emergency allowed the armed forces to "plan and 
execute evictions of groups that occupy public and private 
installations." 

 The state of emergency empowers the government to limit group 
meetings and nationwide travel, search private homes without legal 
authority and dispatch military and police forces as it deems 
necessary. 

 But Antonio Vargas, president of Ecuador's National Indian 
Federation and leader of last year's overthrow, vowed not to back 
down. 

 "They've been insisting we talk and threatening to evict us. They 
want to  apply a strong hand. We're not going to run, we're not going 
to faint, we are  going to stay right here until we reach our 
objective," Vargas said in a  speech at the university. 

 Manrique accused Vargas of breaking off talks with the government 
which sought a peaceful solution to the conflict. 

 Indian leaders said talks were called off on Friday because Noboa 
did not personally attend the meetings and the vice president and 
cabinet ministers handling them would not discuss repealing the price 
hikes. 

 The nation is reeling from an economic crisis that has sparked 91 
percent  annual inflation -- the highest in Latin America -- and 
meant only 25 percent  of Ecuadoreans are able to work in full time 
jobs.