[www-features] [proposal] ecuador feature (see draft at http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/WorkPadEcuador)

[Sasha Costanza-Chock]

<a href="http://ecuador.indymedia.org">Ecuador</a>:
Uprising in Ecuador: Gutiérrez, Gone! All of them, Out!

<img src="http://www.indybay.org/imcenter/ecuador.2005-04.v2.jpg">

Lucio Gutiérrez, who was elected President of Ecuador with the support 
of the social movements and the indigenous <a 
href="http://conaie.nativeweb.org/">CONAIE (Confederation of Indigenous 
Nations of Ecuador)</a> but subsequently turned his back on them, has 
been forced out by the Ecuadorian people after a week of massive 
protests. Gutiérrez abandoned campaign promises of broad social reform 
in order to kiss up to the IMF, back '<a href="http://ftaaimc.org">free 
trade</a>' agreements with the US, allow increased US military presence, 
and generally <a 
href="http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/04/1732037.php">sell out the 
Ecuadorian people</a> to neoliberalism.

Street mobilizations began last week in the capital, Quito, then spread 
to Guayaquil and other cities across the country. Gutierrez tried to 
institute a State of Emergency, which the people of Quito ignored in 
defiance. A huge <a 
href="http://ecuador.indymedia.org/es/2005/04/9157.shtml">march on the 
presidential palace</a> where Gutierrez was holed up was met by police 
repression [ <a 
href="http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/04/1733998.php">story</a> | <a 
href="http://ecuador.indymedia.org/es/2005/04/9090.shtml">photos</a> ].

Julio García Romero, a Chilean photographer who has been in Ecuador 
documenting the indigenous movements for 30 years, was killed in the 
midst of the street protests near the presidential palace. García Romero 
died of a heart attack after being gassed by police, as confirmed by <a 
href="http://tinyurl.com/d4t2g">Ecuadorian Red Cross</a> and hospital 
officials.

By Wednesday the 20th, the military withdrew support from Gutierrez; 
that evening, people converged from all parts of Quito to take the 
Presidential Palace [<a href=""> photos</a> ]. On Thursday the chief of 
police resigned and the Congress voted to oust Gutierrez. Gutiérrez' 
Vice President, who distanced himself from Lucio months ago, has taken 
over. Lucio escaped from the presidential palace, surrounded by the 
people, to the Quito airport, now surrounded by the military, who have 
been ordered by the new authorities to arrest him and not allow him to 
leave the country.

Many in Ecuador, including the CONAIE, see the removal of Gutiérrez as 
the first step, not the end goal; they are <a 
href="http://tinyurl.com/bt978">urging the mobilizations to continue</a> 
until the entire corrupt political class, neoliberalism, the Free Trade 
Agreement, Plan Colombia, and multinationals are all gone. They have 
taken up the cry of the Argentinean social movements, 'Que se vayan 
todos!' (They all must go!).

More background, in English: <a 
href="http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=20&ItemID=7673">ZNet</a>

Reports: <a href="http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/04/1734024.php">1</a> 
| <a href="http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/04/1733998.php">2</a> | <a 
href="http://www.indybay.org/news/2005/04/1732037.php">3</a> | Full 
coverage at
<a href="http://ecuador.indymedia.org">Indymedia Ecuador</a>

Photos: <a href="http://ecuador.indymedia.org/es/2005/04/9157.shtml"> 
Final march on the palace </a> | <a 
href="http://ecuador.indymedia.org/es/2005/04/9086.shtml"> March on 19th 
</a> | <a href="http://ecuador.indymedia.org/es/2005/04/9090.shtml"> 
Police repression </a>

Audio (Spanish):
Collage by <a 
href="http://www.radialistas.net/audios/AUDIO-1900006.mp3"> RADIALISTAS 
</a>.
Live streams: <a 
href="http://67.15.20.54/%7Ebalam/luna/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=1">Radio 
La Luna, Quito</a> | <a href="http://193.41.7.20:8888">Púlsar 
Information Agency</a>

Links:
<a href="http://ecuador.indymedia.org">IMC Ecuador</a> |
<a href="http://www.radiolaluna.com/index.html">Radio La Luna </a> |
<a href="http://conaie.nativeweb.org/">CONAIE</a> (Confederation of 
Indigenous Nations of Ecuador)