The nation's leader Daniel Noboa came out unharmed following his presidential motorcade was attacked by rock-hurling protesters and what officials described as possible shots.
Noboa was opening a water treatment plant in central Ecuador when his motorcade was attacked by a sizeable crowd protesting against increasing energy costs.
About 500 people appeared and were hurling rocks at him, and there are obviously bullet marks on the official vehicle
stated Ecuador's environmental official.
Authorities reported that five individuals were detained and would face court proceedings on terrorism accusations – an offense carrying a highest penalty of three decades in jail.
Recorded material released by the government depicts demonstrators positioned in the street, draped in flags, rushing to gather sizeable rocks and building blocks.
As the official vehicle drove by, objects slammed into the paneling and broke glass.
Someone could be heard shouting: "Duck! Heads down!" as the vehicle accelerated from the scene.
Officials indicated they were still investigating whether some of the damage on Noboa's protected vehicle were resulted from bullet impacts.
The alleged attack came amid several days of progressively aggressive protests sparked by a government decision to raise fuel costs.
Protesters have initiated work stoppages, obstructed highways and taken 16 soldiers – who were subsequently released without injury.
The country's largest Indigenous organization stated that a demonstrator had been killed by security personnel during one of the rallies.
Over 100 people, including demonstrators and security services, are believed to have been injured in the violence.
The president has declared a emergency measures across multiple provinces.
The presidential administration stated on digital platforms after the attack that "such actions will not stop" the leader.
A senior official of the Organization of American States said that "such violent acts are an attack on democracy, stability, and the spirit of peaceful coexistence that must prevail in our societies."
The recently re-elected president is trying to cut diesel subsidies to conserve about one billion dollars in public expenditure, diverting a significant portion of the savings to security funding.
The nation, once considered one of Latin America's most secure nations, has experienced a significant increase in criminal activity in the past few years.
Strategically located between Colombia and Peru, both the world's largest cocaine producers, Ecuador has transformed into a significant transit hub for narcotics.
Authorities have alleged cartels of exacerbating the protests, suggesting that illegal organizations are exploiting the demonstrations to destabilize the nation.
It is estimated that seventy percent of the world's illegal drug market passes through the country, a large portion of it headed for the United States.
This business has attracted global crime syndicates, including Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, Italian mafia groups, and Albania's mafia.
The rivalry for control of smuggling corridors has turned the nation into one of the region's most dangerous locations.
Noboa has called for a referendum to allow the return of American military to the nation, repealing a previous restriction on foreign bases.
News
News