Police protest in Ecuador destabilizes central government

Thousands have poured into the streets of Ecuador in response to an apparent coup attempt by members of the police. What began as a large police protest over wage bonuses rapidly escalated into acts of violence against top officials - including President Rafael Correa. Police launched tear gas at the president soon after he addressed a crowd of protestors.

Rebel police have spread out across the streets of Quito and Guayaquil and the Air Force has reportedly taken over the capitol's international airport and air base.

Schools and banks have closed and public transportation has all but stopped.

Ecuador's Minister of Internal Security Miguel Carvajal described the situation earlier today.

"We want to be emphatic; there are interests here provoking an uneasiness and we call upon the police and the armed forced to not allow themselves to be used. These interests are in a clear process of affecting institutions. I want to say this clearly; institutionality is being affected, there have been acts of violence against the president of the republic, acts of violence against the Minister of the Interior, acts of violence against high-ranking officials. Ladies and gentlemen, we are witnessing a process of a process of the suffocation of democracy. We are seeing a process of destabilization."

Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa was taken to a hospital after the tear gas attack, where he spoke by phone to South American public media.

"This is a conspiracy that's been developing over a lot of time. I prefer to death over losing my life. And "losing life for me" means to cast aside my principles. There's going to be no backing down. If they want, they can come look for me here and put a bullet in me. The republic will continue forward. They can kill me, but as [Chilean poet Pablo] Neruda said 'They can cut the flowers but they can never stop the spring'."

As the interview was ending, President Correa said police were trying to enter his hospital room:

"If something happens to me, I blame them. I just want to say that my love for country is infinite and wherever I am, I will always love my family [reporter interrupts]...and I knew these were the risks and it was worth it."

The head of Ecuador's armed forces has reiterated his allegiance to the elected government.

As we go to air, the elected government has declared a state of exception throughout the entire country for one week in which the military will assume policing duties.