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DATE=2/19/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245742
TITLE=ECUADOR CAPTURE (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=RALPH KURTENBACH
DATELINE=QUITO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  ECUADORIAN PRESIDENT JAMIL MAHUAD SAYS POLICE HAVE 
CAPTURED THREE SUSPECTS IN THIS WEEK'S SHOOTING DEATH OF AN 
OPPOSITION  CONGRESSMAN. RALPH KURTENBACH HAS DETAILS FROM QUITO.
TEXT:  ECUADOR'S MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT VLADIMIRO ALVAREZ SAYS 
SUSPECT WASHINGTON AGUIRRE CLAIMED HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES KILLED 
CONGRESSMAN JAIME HURTADO BECAUSE, IN HIS WORDS,   MR. HURTADO 
HAD BEEN ORGANIZING THE TRAINING  OF ECUADORIANS IN COLOMBIA FOR 
GUERRILLA WARFARE.  MR. HURTADO'S NEPHEW AND A BODYGUARD WERE 
ALSO KILLED IN THE WEDNESDAY ATTACK NEAR ECUADOR'S HALL OF 
CONGRESS IN CENTRAL QUITO. 
AT A PRESS CONFERENCE, AUTHORITIES PRESENTED THE THREE SUSPECTS, 
DESCRIBED BY MR. MAHUAD AS ECUADORIANS. ANOTHER SUSPECT WAS 
KILLED DURING THE CAPTURE. 
ECUADOR'S MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT ALVAREZ SAYS THE MASTERMIND OF 
THE ATTACK WAS PROBABLY A LEADER OF PARAMILITARIES IN COLOMBIA. 
MR. ALVAREZ SAYS TWO COLOMBIANS FLED ECUADOR AFTER WEDNESDAY'S 
ATTACK.  HE SAYS INVESTIGATIONS WILL CONTINUE WITH HELP FROM 
COLOMBIAN EXPERTS WHOSE HELP PRESIDENT MAHAUD HAD SOUGHT, AND 
THAT THE TWO WHO FLED ECUADOR ARE CONSIDERED "MATERIAL AUTHORS"OF
THE ATTACK. 
MR. MAHUAD SAID POLICE BEGAN WITH TWO LEADS, ONE OF WHICH LED TO 
THE SUSPECTS' CAR AND HOUSE. AUTHORITIES GAVE THE OTHER SUSPECTS 
NAMES AS MICHELLE ONA , CHRISTIAN ESTEVAN PONCE AND SERJEN 
MEDINO. THE ASSASSINATION OCCURRED IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF SOCIAL 
TENSION, WITH POPULAR STRIKES AGAINST PRESIDENT  MAHUAD'S 
ECONOMIC AUSTERITY MEASURES.  
MR. HURTADO WAS AN OUTSPOKEN CRITIC OF THE MAHUAD ADMINISTRATION.
AND HIS PARTY, THE POPULAR DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT, HAD ALLEGED THAT 
THE ASSASSINATION MIGHT HAVE BEEN PERPETRATED BY MR. MAHAUD'S 
ASSOCIATES, A CLAIM MR. MAHAUD DENIED. 
THE PRESIDENT HAD ALSO OFFERED A  REWARD OF MORE THAN 
100-THOUNSAND  DOLLARS FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE CAPTURE OF 
THE ASSASSINS. (SIGNED)
NEB/PT
19-Feb-99 8:55 PM EST (0155 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.