MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Strong warning for Ecuadorian Armed Forces

Ecuadorian Armed Forces warned Wednesday that they would not tolerate “anarchy” in the country as thousands of government supporters and opponents took to the streets of the capital Quito to protest amid a political crisis sparked by the removal of Supreme Court members.

Protestors and the country's opposition claim that President Lucio Gutierrez last December "purged" the high court by allegedly unconstitutional means to take control of the judiciary.

"Dictatorship no, democracy yes" and "Out with Lucio", were some of the slogans during the march in Quito against the Gutierrez administration and the revamped Supreme Court which the police responded by firing tear gas.

The Armed Forces' warning was seen as a reply to statements from Quito Mayor Paco Moncayo, a retired general who called on the military to take sides on the political crisis which is threatening Ecuador's stability.

"My comrades in the Armed Forces, it is possible you support this corrupt and unconstitutional regime" publicly asked Mr. Moncayo on Tuesday.

Defence Minister Nelson Herrera read a communiqué from the services labelling the mayor's statements "unacceptable" because they seem to entail "a call for a coup". In recent years Ecuador's military have been involved in helping to solve political crises that plagued the administrations of former presidents Abdala Bucaram and Jamil Mahuad. Actually Ecuador was ruled by military regimes from 1972-79.

"Calls to rebellion are illegal" the Armed Forces' statement said.

Political tensions have been running high in Ecuador since the restructuring of the Supreme Court in late 2004.

Last weekend, two former presidents returned home after corruption charges against them were dismissed March 31 in a controversial ruling by Supreme Court Chief Justice Guillermo Castro.

Mr. Castro threw out corruption charges against Abdala Bucaram and Gustavo Noboa, as well as former Vice President Alberto Dahik.

The return of the three political leaders has rocked the country, with the opposition pointing the finger at Gutierrez, a former Army officer and Mr. Bucaram aide, for restructuring the Supreme Court last year.

Last December Mr. Gutierrez's allies in Congress fired all 31 Supreme Court justices and replaced them with members friendlier to the government with the opposition claiming the president was repaying "political favours" to his embattled administration.

"We will ensure respect for the rule of the law of the Republic and will not permit anarchy to take control of the nation; that is our moral obligation to the fatherland", concluded the Armed Forces statement.