Ecuador’s Army Chief Dismissed

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30982, 11 February 1966, Page 11

Ecuador’s Army Chief Dismissed

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter—Copyright) GUAYAQUIL (Ecuador), Feb. 10. The Chief of Staff, of Ecuador’s Armed Forces, General Antonio Rivas, said yesterday that he had been dismissed by the ruling military junta.

He said the reason was that he had expressed concern at meetings with other armed forces chiefs about the current wave of unrest and anti-Government demonstrations sweeping Ecuador. General Rivas said he had told various meetings of service chiefs he was worried that, in the event of there being insufficient police to handle the unrest among the students, troops would be called in, and there could be

a showdown between the military and civilians. The Navy, Army and Air Force officers with whom he had discussed the matter had expressed similar misgivings, he claimed. He thought the ruling junta probably regarded these views as subversive. He said that he would refuse any other military appointment. Martial Law General Rivas's removal comes just two months after the junta dismissed one of its three members, Air Force Colonel Guillermo Freile Posso, for allegedly planning rebellion. Martial law was declared throughout the country a fortnight ago in a bid to forestall anti-Govemment demonstrations and violence. But student and labour organisations have ignored warnings that demonstrations would be put down with force, and have repeatedly clashed with police in Quito, Guayaquil and other cities over the last 10 days.

Billy Rose Dead.—Billy Rose, one of show business's most spectacular promoters, died in Montego Bay today. He was 66—Montego Bay, Feb. 10.