Ecuador's president Daniel Noboa emerged unharmed after his presidential convoy was targeted by stone-throwing demonstrators and what officials characterized as possible shots.
The president was opening a water treatment plant in the country's central region when his motorcade was attacked by a sizeable crowd protesting against rising energy costs.
Approximately five hundred individuals showed up and were throwing stones at him, and there are clearly bullet marks on the official vehicle
commented the country's environment minister.
Authorities confirmed that five individuals were detained and would face trial on terrorism charges – an crime carrying a highest penalty of 30 years in jail.
Video footage released by the government depicts demonstrators standing in the road, covered in banners, scrambling to gather sizeable rocks and bricks.
As the presidential SUV passed, objects thudded into the paneling and shattered windows.
A voice could be audible yelling: "Duck! Heads down!" as the car accelerated from the scene.
Officials indicated they were still investigating whether some of the impact marks on Noboa's armored vehicle were caused by bullet impacts.
The alleged incident occurred amid days of increasingly violent protests triggered by a government decision to raise diesel prices.
Demonstrators have initiated work stoppages, blocked roads and taken sixteen military personnel – who were eventually released unharmed.
The country's biggest native group reported that a demonstrator had been fatally injured by armed forces during one of the protests.
Over 100 people, including protesters and law enforcement, are thought to have been hurt in the unrest.
The president has imposed a state of emergency across several provinces.
The presidential administration said on social media after the incident that "cowardly acts will not deter" the president.
The head of the Organization of American States said that "such violent acts are an assault on democratic principles, peace, and the spirit of harmonious living that must prevail in our nations."
Noboa is trying to reduce fuel support to save about one billion dollars in public expenditure, redirecting a significant portion of the funds to safety initiatives.
The nation, once considered one of Latin America's most secure countries, has seen a significant increase in criminal activity in recent years.
Strategically located between Colombia and Peru, both the planet's biggest cocaine producers, Ecuador has transformed into a significant transit hub for illegal drugs.
Officials have accused drug gangs of fueling the unrest, suggesting that criminal groups are exploiting the protests to disrupt the country.
Reports indicate that seventy percent of the world's cocaine supply transits via Ecuador, a large portion of it destined for the US.
This business has drawn international criminal organizations, including Mexican drug cartels, Italy's 'Ndrangheta, and Albania's mafia.
The rivalry for dominance of smuggling corridors has turned Ecuador into one of the area's most dangerous places.
Noboa has called for a public vote to allow the return of US troops to the nation, overturning a previous restriction on international military installations.
Elena Vance is a digital strategist with over a decade of experience in UK business consulting, specializing in technology-driven growth solutions.