Ecuador president refuses amnesty to uprising 'conspirators'

President Rafael Correa of Ecuador rejected suggestions from opposition politicians that he give an amnesty to police officers implicated in last month’s uprising over plans to strip them of promotion bonuses.

Mr Correa also called for the immediate dismissal of the director of a police hospital where the president was surrounded by protesting officers for hours during the September 30 unrest until he was rescued by army commandos.

Some 104 police officers are facing disciplinary proceedings that could result in their firing and some are being investigated for possible criminal charges.

In addition, 153 air force personnel are under investigation over the closure of the airports in Quito and Guayaquil during the uprising.

“Amnesty for those who mistreated the president of the republic, who wanted to break democracy, who killed unarmed civilians (and) fellow officers, soldiers ... this will tear us apart as a society. The only thing left is to apply the law,” Mr Correa said during his radio programme, Dialogue with the President.

Ten people were killed and 274 wounded during clashes when striking officers clashed with supporters of the president and the commandos who rescued Mr Correa.

Opposition politicians raised the idea of granting amnesty to officers involved in the uprising, although they have not presented any specific proposals.

In rejecting the amnesty, Mr Correa also called for an investigation of the police hospital’s director, Colonel Cesar Carrion.

The president accused Col Carrion of being a conspirator in the uprising, saying the director and other police sought to keep him from entering the hospital after being attacked with tear gas and pepper spray fired by striking officers.