Ecuador: Colonel Tapia, Five Policemen Convicted of Sept. 30th Police Coup

ElComercio.com reports that Tuesday June 28th, a Pichincha Court in Quito convicted Colonel Rolando Tapia, former head of the legislative escort, and five policeman of undermining state security on September 30th, 2010, when a group of policemen held President Rafael Correa captive for several hours in a police hospital and took control of the Air Force Base in Quito. Officials say no sentences have been given however, Tipan could get up to 8 years in prison while the officers could be sentenced to 2-4 years. One of the guilty officers is a brother of Assemblywoman Lourdes Tiban. Supporters, family members and opponents stood outside the courthouse when Tapia and the policemen entered this morning. A lawyer of one defendant says that there was a lot of pressure from the Ecuadorian government including the president and his interior minister for a guilty ruling.Read Article