COUP PLOTTERS AND JUNTA MEMBERS CHARGED
Date Reported: Friday, March 31, 2000
Incident Type: SECURITY
Country: QUITO, ECUADOR Incident: The Quito daily El Comercio and the Associated Press reported that the Ecuadoran Supreme Court has charged four prominent political figures for their parts in the January coup. Antonio Vargas, leader of the Confederation of Indigenous Nations of Ecuador (CONAIE), and former Supreme Court Judge Carlos Solorzano were two of the three members of the short-lived Junta of National Salvation, which took power after indigenous protestors and a cadre of soldiers seized the Congress building. They were charged with ``attempts against the security of the state'' and, if found guilty, could face three to 16 years in prison. Also charged were Paco Moncayo and Rene Yandun, leaders of the Democratic Left party, who were voted out of Congress by fellow lawmakers for taking part in the uprising. Solorzano had already left the bench. Former armed forces chief Gen. Carlos Mendoza, who forced then-president Jamil Mahuad from power and took the third seat on the junta, was not charged by the Supreme Court, but will have to offer sworn testimony, authorities said. Mendoza turned power over to Vice President Gustavo Noboa under pressure from the international community and at least 20 regional commanders under his command who opposed the overthrow of civilian rule. Mendoza, who resigned his post, said later that he agreed to join the coup as a stall tactic until democratic order could be restored. Ecuador's high military tribunal is considering whether to pursue charges against Mendoza and dozens of other officers for possible court martials. Some 17 other military officers, most of them colonels, will be tried for their role in the incident. A decision has not yet been made on the estimated 130 other soldiers arrested in the incident.
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