A court in Quito sentenced six police officers to twelve years in prison apiece for attempting to kill President Rafael Correa during the attempted coup d’etat in 2010.  Correa famously faced down that mutiny in which eight people including one of his bodyguards were killed.

The police officers were convicted in August.  Prosecutors produced 51 witnesses against them as well as dozens of pieces of evidence.  In all, 40 people have now been convicted of involvement in the failed rebellion.

“If you want to kill the president, here he is!  Kill him, if you want to!  Kill him if you are brave enough,” President Correa yelled at the mutinous police officers who had shot tear gas canisters at him on 30 September 2010.  Correa had gone to their barracks to try and quell discontent over reported benefits cuts.  But it soon turned into a full-scale police rebellion as opposition political agitators fanned out to whisper in the cops’ ears around Quito. 

After a scuffle he got out and made it a hospital, where he was holed up for 12 hours – but from where he was able to declare a state of emergency.  The military, some police, and most Ecuadorians were still supporting the law.  Crowds of citizens surrounded bad cops in government buildings, and the military rescued the President from the hospital. 

The Socialist President Correa went on to be re-elected to a third term in office in 2013.