Ecuador president’s motorcade attacked by crowd throwing rocks, possible gunfire

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa’s car was surrounded by a group of around 500 people throwing rocks as he approached an event in Canar province, a top minister said, adding that “signs of bullet damage” were found on the president’s vehicle.

Environment and Energy Minister Ines Manzano spoke on Tuesday after formally filing a report of an assassination attempt against Noboa. The president was not hurt and five people have been detained, the minister said.

“Shooting at the president’s car, throwing stones, damaging state property – that’s just criminal,” Manzano said. “We will not allow this.”

Noboa’s office said all those arrested would be processed under charges of terrorism and attempted assassination. Reuters could not independently verify whether a bullet was fired.

The national Indigenous federation CONAIE said orchestrated violence had broken out against the people who mobilised for Noboa’s arrival, saying that elderly women were among those attacked in a “brutal police and military action.”

“At least five of us have been arbitrarily detained,” it said in a post on social media, which included a video of a woman in traditional dress being marched off by four police officers in body armour, their faces covered by black bandanas.