Police unrest under control, Ecuador official says

— President Rafael Correa’s victory over violent police protests in Ecuador is not yet fully assured, though the situation is under control for now, Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said Friday.

Correa was physically attacked and trapped in a hospital for several hours Thursday before troops rescued him in a blaze of gunfire. The leftist president said police officers protesting spending cuts were joined by some elements of the military and made an attempt to oust him.

“We can’t claim total victory. We have overcome the situation for now, but we can’t relax,” Patino told reporters. “The coup attempt may have roots out there; we have to find them and pull them up.”

For a few hours Thursday, it appeared that Correa might be facing a serious challenge to his rule over the oil-exporting nation of 14 million.

But the military leadership came out on his side and the protests fizzled late Thursday after the shootout.

Correa blamed former President Lucio Gutierrez, who had been ousted, for the rebellion.

Gutierrez denied any role in the protests.

It was still unclear whether Correa was targeted in an organized coup attempt, as he and his supporters claim, or whether it was a protest that spiraled out of control.