Historia Esta Pasando

Today I woke up too late to catch the early bus that I usually take to school.

So I decided to make it a leisurely morning, hang out with my host family, finish my homework here instead of in the school library, and go to class at noon.

At about 10:30 my host brother asked me, very concerned, if I was planning to go anywhere today. I told him no, except for class. He repeated ¨so you´re not going into Guayaquil?¨ [we live across the river, in Samborondon]. I assured him that I have no life, and thus, no plans. He seemed relieved, and then tried to explain to me there was a situation in the city. We had to pass the dicctionary back and forth a few times, but I got the gist of it. The police and military are striking. The bridge is closed. Leave home only if you have to.

So I walked to the bus stop at noon. It never came, so I called the international student office at school, and they told me to go home. So I did.

And so here I sit, watching history happen on the local news. I don´t know how big the story will be on U.S. news, but you may hear a little bit about it if you pay attention.

There are conflicting reports, but President Correa apparently is rumored to have considered dissolving the congress, which would allow him to rule by decree. He also (supposedly) considered measures that would cut the wages of the police force, which is nationalized here.

In response, the police are on strike throughout the country, and the airforce has joined them in protest by closing the Quito airport. In addition, other groups and civilians are rioting all over Ecuador. The lack of a police force has resulted in a higher incidence in crime, particularly robbery.

As of this moment, President Correa has been hospitalized and treated for injuries resulting from tear gas released by the military when he tried to address them earlier today. I´m not sure if he is still in the hospital, or has been released.

While all of this sounds incredibly dangerous, and it is, rest assured that I am safe, for the moment, and that there is a very large group of intelligent people in charge of my well being. I live in a gated community protected by private guards who are still on duty, in a suburb of Guayaquil called Samborondon. The buses aren´t running and school is closed ( as well as many of the business here) but aside from that the only impact on me directly is an occasional siren. The bridge into Guayaquil is closed, and my host parents and sister are stuck in the city, but they´re safe as far as I know, and my host brother and I are staying put inside the house until things clear up.

I´ll try to keep updating as things unfold. Definately a day I´m going remember and be able to say , ¨I was there then.¨