Quito police on protest

Members of the police and armed services occupied barracks and the National Assembly building in Quito and set up roadblocks throughout Ecuador in protest of austerity measures passed by the assembly on Sept. 29. On Sept. 30, 300 air force personnel and soldiers closed the international airport in Quito for several hours. 

President Correa called the protests a “coup attempt” and declared a state of emergency for three days, during which the governments of Peru and Colombia closed their borders with Ecuador as a “show of support” for Correa’s government. Forty-plus police were detained for questioning.