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Article: Ecuador.(Country overview)
- Article from:
- New Internationalist
- Article date:
- January 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 New Internationalist Magazine. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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On a typical Sunday afternoon, Plaza de la Independencia, Quito's main square in the heart of the colonial quarter, is where families come to enjoy a pleasant stroll. Storytellers entertain crowds while indigenous women wearing elegant black felt hats sell their wares under a hot Andean sun.
But last April, the atmosphere in the square was quite different. It was the focal point of week-long popular protests which finally toppled President Lucio Gutierrez. Thousands of protesters clamoured outside the presidential palace demanding that the President and his cronies resign, chanting: 'Que se vayan todos!' (Out with the lot of you!). Bowing to mass pressure and ...