QUITO, Ecuador: Five people have been arrested following what officials described as an assassination attempt on Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, according to Energy Minister Ines Manzano.
Noboa’s convoy came under attack while traveling to Cañar province on Tuesday, where he was set to announce new infrastructure projects. “Shooting at the president’s car, throwing stones, damaging state property – that’s just criminal,” Manzano said, after filing a formal report of the attempt, according to Reuters.
Authorities said about 500 people surrounded the motorcade, throwing rocks. Signs of bullet damage were later found on the president’s vehicle, though Noboa was not injured.
A video released by the presidency showed crowds surging toward the convoy, throwing projectiles and shouting as security guards urged passengers to duck.
Previous attacks and growing unrest
Officials said those detained would face charges of terrorism and attempted murder. The incident follows another attack in September, when roughly 350 people targeted a motorcade carrying Noboa and foreign diplomats during protests in Imbabura province.
Ecuador has faced weeks of demonstrations since the government announced plans to end diesel subsidies — a move it said would reduce spending, combat fuel smuggling, and redirect funds toward social programs.
Indigenous leaders condemn police action
The protests, largely led by Ecuador’s Indigenous community, have escalated into clashes with security forces, leaving one person dead and several injured last week.
The national Indigenous confederation CONAIE accused the government of “brutal police and military action” during Tuesday’s confrontation, claiming those arrested were peaceful protesters, including elderly women.
The presidency, meanwhile, maintains that “terrorist groups” have infiltrated the demonstrations, while Indigenous leaders accuse the government of using excessive force and allowing uncontrolled mining and oil drilling on ancestral lands.
