You say you want a revolution well, you know...you should go to Ecuador

Thursday started out just like any other day. I ate my Peanut Butter Crunch, walked to school, participated only slightly above minimally in Cine. I went with Lauren and Danielle to cinemax and to find a newspaper for Soc class. Since I didn’t find one we went to sit on the couches so I could use Lauren’s computer for internet. So I ate my lunch, I bought us all snacks from the bookstore with my credit, and looked up articles about social problems. The internet was acting crazy but we didn’t really think anything of it. Bianca came by at one point to say hi. She was still in class but left to ‘go to the bathroom.’ I found a suitable article so I was writing down notes when Bianca came back and told us that classes were canceled. She told us that the police and military were on strike so there was no security anywhere and even the president didn’t have any protection. Naturally we didn’t believe her at first but she was serious.

We weren’t sure what to do so Lauren went looking for Christina. Pretty soon she came walking by and told us to meet up in her office to figure out what to do. So we made our way there and on the way found out that international students were not to leave the university. As soon as we got into the office Maria Teresa told Danielle and me that we were going with her. So we walked out of the university with her and she just told us to walk home. We both thought she was going to drive us but I guess not. During the walk home we noticed that it was hotter and more humid than normal and decided that it was because of the tense political climate, haha.

Danielle and I parted ways at the usual corner and I continued walking, and singing Big Girls out loud, until MT pulled up with the Lumbisi and Quito kids and told me to get in the back, meaning the trunk of her SUV, which I did. I thought she was just going to drop me off at home but, as always, she just drove right past my house. We all settled into the living room in front of the tv and MT went to get more people. She came back with Christina and some others including Keunae’s friend Jean who is here on her own.

We basically watched the tv for about 3 hours. MT fed us lunch, which was really sweet of her, then when things seemed to settle down a bit, she took us home. I had called Guadalupe to tell her that I was ok and at MT’s house and she was like, ‘you’re not going to Quito are you? There are problems there.’ As if I didn’t know that, that’s why I was calling! Haha. When I got home we basically watched the tv all night, had some chocolate cake and watched some more tv. At one point I  was talking to four different people on fb chat as well as watching the tv and listening to the tv in the living room which was up full blast.

Here’s what basically happened from what I can tell:

Ecuador has a colorful political history which often consists of getting bored with presidents and kicking them out of office, replacing them with military juntas, dictators, new presidents or whoever they feel like. So Thursday there was a protest/uprising by the police and for a while it seemed as if this president would succumb to the same fate as his predecessors. Even MT said that if they really want him out 'we'll have a new president in a few hours,' because such a regime change would not be out of the ordinary. Thursday’s situation was slightly different though. What seems to have happened is that several days ago the president has proposed and put to assembly vote a law that cuts benefits to public servants. Part of this proposed law cuts bonuses and promotions for the national police. Factions of both the military and national police declared a protest on Thursday, taking over the airport and several military barracks. The president went to one of these barracks to negotiate with the police but became upset and went all Hulk on their asses. He loosened his tie and exposed his chest telling the crowd to kill him, he’s right here, kill the president if they’re brave enough.

After this outburst he went down to talk to the crowd and was tear gassed. He was rushed to a hospital where the police and military barricaded the doors, not letting anyone in or out. In the meantime a mass of presidential supporters gathered at the presidential palace and they were rallied by members of the government. Around this time a 5 day state of emergency was declared. At one point the man giving the speech at the time said that he got a message from the president saying that people were on the roof trying to get in, trying to kill him maybe. (Sounds super paranoid to me but who knows) So the guy called to the supporters to go to the hospital and save the president, and save democracy. He was basically telling them to go up against the police and military with naught but their Correa posters and Communist flags.

At some point the highest ranking officer in the military made a public statement urging all military personnel to stop protesting in such a violent way- they had also been barricading the roads by burning tires in the streets. Later that night, while the president was still being held in the hospital, the military loyal to the president staged a violent rescue mission. The president got out unscathed but the ensuing gunfight lasted for about 30 minutes and killed between 2 and 20 people (obviously reports vary and a number may never be settled on) injuring many people as well.

Once the president was rescued he went immediately back to the palace where he gave a speech to his supporters criticizing the police and claiming conspiracy to take him out of office. All in all it was a chaotic and confusing day. Details are still foggy and may be for a while. Things have gotten back to normal by now (Sunday) but it’s difficult to say what really happened and what will happen still.

I'll keep you posted whenever I get updates, but that's all for now.

Hasta luego,

Caitlin