STUDENTS SEEK DOWNFALL OF JUNTA IN ECUADOR
The student federation in Ecuador launched an appeal. Februery 7 calling for the overthrow of the junta now in power..In Guayaquil representatives of the student federation met with leaders of. the provincial federation of: workers to study common action to find "a solution to the hard conditions suffered by the peop of Ecuador under the present military dictatorship."
They demanded: the release of students arrested at. Cuenca and Guayaquil for participating in demonstrations.
At the end of the meeting, the participants formed a procession to march in the streets but were charged by police who used tear-gas grenades to disperse them. ~
The next day, a group of about fifteen persons equipped with automatic arms attacked a barracks at Cuenca. This was the second attack of its kind, a previous one having occurred February 6 ata military post 1430 kilometers south of Quito.
The junta appeared to be uneasy over the widespread unrest. It was announced that Gen. Antonio Rivas Hidalgo was being replaced ‘by Gen. Telmo Vargas because of "service needs." It was learned, however, that at a recent meeting of the heads of the army, Gen. Rivas expressed worry over the sharp tension existing between the military ~gunta and certain civilian layers, including the students.
The former mayor of Guayaquil also launched a vehement attack against the military junta,. accusing them of "incompetence" and of “turning to foreign experts, particularly Americans, to put into effect arbitrary economic and administrative measures.
TENSION