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All eyes on Ecuador's military as anarchy looms
Ousted president vows he'd 'rather die than resign'
February 8, 1997
Web posted at: 11:30 p.m. EST (0430 GMT)QUITO, Ecuador (CNN) -- As Ecuador's political crisis deepens, the country is looking to the military to avert disintegration into anarchy.
So far, the army has refrained from taking sides in the dispute. Defense Minister Gen. Victor Bayas resigned Saturday, underscoring the army's neutrality and leaving President Abdala Bucaram alone at the top of a shaky six- month-old government.
A new minister will be named by whomever becomes president.
But the ultimate powerbroker here continues to be the military. Even after 17 years of civilian rule, whoever ends up being president still needs the backing of the armed forces to govern.
A headline in Saturday's Quito newspaper Hoy reflected the powerful role of the armed forces: "Where is the hero?" it said, referring to Moncayo, known as "the hero of Cenepa," the jungle border area that Peru and Ecuador fought over two years ago.
Moncayo is immensely popular because his troops successfully resisted Peru's much larger army during the brief conflict. Last year, there were rumors he was considering a coup because of his disgust with Ecuador's political leaders.
"The eyes of the whole country are turned to the chief of the joint command of the armed forces," the newspaper said.
Rather die than resign
Congress voted 44-34 Thursday to remove Bucaram for "mental incapacity."
His foes in Congress accused Bucaram, who calls himself "El Loco," or "The Crazy One," of worsening the country's economic ills with his erratic behavior and political showboating.
Bucaram has refused to step down, vowing to remain in office until his term officially ends in 2000.
The president said Saturday that he would rather die than be forced from office. "They want to get me out of the presidency. [But] I swear on my children, on my family and on my country that I'd rather die than resign," he said in a speech to supporters in a working class district on the outskirts of Guayaquil.
The Pacific coast city is Bucaram's home and political power base. Bucaram also told the crowd he is planning to run for re-election, even though Ecuador's constitution bars anyone from serving two consecutive terms as president.
Clashes escalate
Clashes in the capital Quito escalated Saturday, with groups of people outside the Congress chanting support for various claimants to the presidency.
Few were speaking on behalf of Bucaram. "We can not stand anymore like him...the worst corruption in the history of Ecuador," said protester Maria Clara Barrera.
Congressional leader Fabian Alarcon insists he's entitled to the job. He convened Saturday a special session of Congress to elect some of the new government officials.
And then there's Ecuador's Vice President Rosalia Arteaga, who insists she has the legal right to secede Bucaram.
"I speak based on the constitution, and on legality and on popular mandate," she said.
Arteaga was the only one of three contenders to meet with the joint military command, setting off rumors that she may be favored by the military as a compromise candidate to assume the presidency.
Correspondent Harris Whitbeck and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related stories:
- Ecuador's defense minister resigns
- Ecuador clashes escalate as state of emergency is declared
- Crisis in Ecuador as 3 claim presidencyFebruary 7, 1997
- Invoking 'mental incapacity' rule, Ecuador fires president - February 6, 1997
- Ecuador tires of its 'loco' leader, wants him out - February 6, 1997
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