From: Alliance for Global Justice < <afgj%40afgj.org>afgj at afgj.org> To: <walterlx%40earthlink.net>walterlx at earthlink.net Subject: Coup in Ecuador! Take Action! Date: Sep 30, 2010 12:13 PM
Coup in Ecuador! Urgent Action Needed!
Call the State Department and White House!
Your call could make a difference!
We have received reports that a coup is taking place in Ecuador. The situation is in flux. There are reports that President Rafael Correa disappeared after meeting with the police but other reports say he is in the hospital surrounded by police after a tear gas attack. All the airports are closed; the Congress has been taken over by the police; banks are closed.
There is still hope, however, that that the coup can be stopped in its tracks. The top army commander in Ecuador says the military remains loyal to President Correa.
Call the State Department and the White House Comment line and tell them to make a statement that the US will cut off all military, police and development aid to Ecuador if the coup is carried to completion
This coup in Ecuador, the second ALBA country now to suffer a coup, is the direct result of the US government support for the June 28, 2010, coup in Honduras. We cannot allow our government to again support anti-democratic forces in Latin America.
Contacts:
To contact Senators and Representatives: <https://email.spc.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm> http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm<https://email.spc.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm> <https://email.spc.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml> https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml<https://email.spc.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml>
To contact the State Department: Fax: 202-647-8947, Voice: 202 647-8947, or Email: Maria Otero, Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs, c/o Laura Pena, Assistant, <PenaL%40state.gov> PenaL at state.gov
Dr. Arturo Valenzuela, Assist. Sec. of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs: <ValenzuelaAA%40state.gov>ValenzuelaAA at state.gov; Ambassador Craig Kelly, Principal Deputy Asst./ Secretary, Western Office of Hemisphere Affairs: <KellyC%40state.gov>KellyC at state.gov (Fax: 202-647-0834)
To contact White House: <https://email.spc.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact> http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact<https://email.spc.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact> and White House Comment Line 202-456-1414; Dan Restrepo, Special Asst. to the President, Western Hemisphere Affairs, <drestreop at nsc.eop.gov> drestreop at nsc.eop.gov
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PLEASE CIRCULATE WIDELY: URGENT! Attempted coup against Ecuadorean government
Initial reports today inform that sections of the Ecuadorean Police are staging street demonstrations, ostensibly for economic demands but in reality trying to subvert the legal order, including through trying to occupy the National Parliament. Additionally, in open revolt against the government, some police officers have taken illegal control over their police stations.
There are also reports that members of the Quito army barracks in the capital city occupied these barracks in open mutiny against the government. In response, President Rafael Correa went to the barracks to talk to the rebels and was attacked by CS gas which exploded near his face. The President is now in the hospital of the Quito Regiment, with minor concussions but well. The armed forces have him under their control in the Quito barracks.
In a clearly orchestrated action of open rebellion, members of the armed forces also took control and closed the Mariscal Antonio José de Sucre airport.
In response to these developments, on live TV through TELESUR at about 18 hrs (GMT) President Rafael Correa said: "It's a coup d'etat, a conspiracy organised by the opposition." President Correa hinted that UNASUR was likely to hold an emergency meeting to defend the democratic order that is under threat in Ecuador and also said that police officers supportive of the revolt were trying to get to his hospital room to attack him. He added that he was standing firm in the defence of the democratic order in Ecuador and there was no way he would capitulate, and that he could only lose his life.
The Foreign Affairs minister has called upon people to march to the hospital to protect the life of the President. Mass demonstrations are now taking place in the whole of Ecuador in support of the legitimate and democratically-elected government of President Correa. People are currently congregating around the Quito barracks hospital to protect the President.
President Correa and his government have won every single democratic election since his election in 2006. The government has expanded democracy and implemented policies to redistribute income to the poor, benefiting millions of people hitherto socially excluded. The country has also had a new constitution overwhelmingly approved at a national referendum, which is deemed to be one of the greenest and most progressive constitutions in the world.
Venezuela Solidarity Campaign <https://email.spc.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.venezuelasolidarity.co.uk> www.venezuelasolidarity.co.uk<https://email.spc.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.venezuelasolidarity.co.uk>
*Three reports: IACHR,*Alliance for Global Justic* and Venezuala Solidarity Campaign*
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*IACHR CONDEMNS ANY ATTEMPT TO ALTER THE DEMOCRATIC ORDER IN ECUADOR*
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Washington, D.C., September 30, 2010 – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condemns any intent to alter the constitutional and democratic order in Ecuador, as well as the situation of President Rafael Correa, who is allegedly prevented from leaving the Hospital of the National Police.
According to the information received, agents of the public force rebeled through mutinies in some barracks of the country. The IACHR makes an urgent call to these sectors to depose their attitude, to absolutely respect the rule of law and to immediately adapt their behaviour in accordance to the principle of subordination to civilian authority.
A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission is mandated to promote respect for human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this area. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who are elected in a personal capacity by the OAS General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or residence.
<https://email.spc.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.venezuelasolidarity.co.uk> www.venezuelasolidarity.co.uk<https://email.spc.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.venezuelasolidarity.co.uk>