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Ecuador set for Congress showdown Ecuadorean police ring Congress
(about 6 hours later)
Ecuador's government says it will not allow the 57 legislators it sacked this month to take up their seats when Congress tries to meet. Hundreds of police officers have surrounded the Ecuadorean Congress to prevent 57 sacked legislators from entering the building in Quito.
A heavy police guard will be on duty to try to prevent a repeat of last week when the politicians tried to force their way in amid violent clashes. The politicians were fired for trying to block a referendum on constitutional reform proposed by President Rafael Correa and now set for 15 April.
The conflict between Congress and President Rafael Correa is deepening. Last week saw violent scuffles as the lawmakers tried to force their way in.
The scene seems set for a showdown and more turmoil in a country that has seen eight presidents in the past 10 years. The dispute is threatening to provoke more turmoil in a country that has had eight presidents in the past 10 years.
If the politicians cannot get in to the congress building in the capital, Quito, then there is no quorum and a major element of Ecuadorean politics simply will not function. More than 1,000 police officers formed a cordon around the Congress building in the capital, Quito, from early on Tuesday.
Some of the sacked lawmakers, who represent more than half of the 100-member Congress, threatened to try to break through the police ranks.
Others said they might try to hold a parallel meeting elsewhere in the capital, Reuters news agency reported.
Power struggle
Congress needs to have at least 51 members present to have a quorum.
Rafael Correa enjoys widespread popular supportRafael Correa enjoys widespread popular support
Mr Correa, a left-winger who has hardly any support in Congress, is not too concerned about that. Ecuadorean media reports said a number of substitutes for the fired legislators had entered Congress early in the day to enable the session to proceed.
He says the congressmen and women are corrupt and the cause of many of the country's problems. President Correa, a leftist who enjoys little congressional support, has argued that Congress is corrupt and the cause of many of the country's problems.
He wants the people to have a greater say and is organising a referendum next month as the first step in setting up a series of assemblies that would by-pass the power of the Congress.He wants the people to have a greater say and is organising a referendum next month as the first step in setting up a series of assemblies that would by-pass the power of the Congress.
The established politicians, not surprisingly, do not want to relinquish power and are fighting back. The established politicians, not surprisingly, do not want to relinquish power and are fighting back, says the BBC's South America correspondent, Daniel Schweimler.
President Correa enjoys the support of about 70% of the people of Ecuador, but most of the power and influence lies in the hands of his opponents. Mr Correa, who came to power two months ago promising radical changes, enjoys the support of about 70% of the people of Ecuador, but most of the power and influence lies in the hands of his opponents, our correspondent says.