Ecuador says 46 officers have been detained for bloody police revolt against president
By APWednesday, October 6, 2010
Ecuador: 46 officers detained for police revolt
QUITO, Ecuador — Ecuador’s interior minister says 46 police officers have been detained for alleged participation in the police revolt against President Rafael Correa that claimed five lives.
The minister, Gustavo Jalkh, also says prosecutors have voice recordings that indicate last Thursday’s insurrection went far beyond a spontaneous revolt by officers upset by a new law that would strip them of promotion bonuses.
Prosecutors said Wednesday that they detained a retired army major who was at Quito’s main police barracks when rebellious police roughed up and tear gassed the president.
The revolt ended when army commandos rescued Correa in a hail of gunfire and concussion grenades at a hospital where he had been surrounded by insurrectionists.
