S. AMERICAN POLITICS

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 April 1932, Page 5

S. AMERICAN POLITICS

HOT ACTION IN CHILE.

BY CABLE —PBESS ASSN. —COPYBIGHT.]

SANTIAGO, April 8.

President Juan Esteban Montere, backed by the Chilian Congress, declared a state of seige throughout Chile on Friday, and then struck swiftly at his political opponent, whom he charged with the responsibility for a ?,tirring day, which began with a run on the National Bank and ended with ?. new Cabinet.

Although not mentioned by name, the President’s manifesto indicates that it was directed at the followers of the former President Carlos Ibanco, whose regimel was' overthrown last year, and who is now in exile.

EUCADOR’S LITTLE WAR.

GUAYAQUIL, April 9.

Federal troops sent up on Thursday to Fort Punta Piedra, which is still in the hands of rebels, were withdrawn on Friday,, and it appeared that the army was getting ready to blast the mutineers out with aeroplane bombs. General Leonidas Plaza Gutierrez, the former President, whose re-appear-ance in Eucador is believed to have caused the rebellion, was on his way to Quito by rail on Friday. Meantime, the authorities ordered the port to be closed to all marine traffic in an effort to starve out the mutinous Navy, which seized Ecuador’s two gunboats in Thursday. Ships steamed up the river in front of the Forts, to prevent a repetition of the raid, when one of the warships darted out and captured a British tanker, the “Buaro.” The tanker reached the port of Salines on Friday. The captain explained that the rebels stated that all they wanted was to have him tow the gunboat “Cotopaxi” a short distance because the gunboat’s engines were not functioning. LATER.

The Government’s troops recaptured tho Fort of Punta Piedra from the rebels. Ildefonzo Mendoza, the lead.er of the rebellion, is reported to -have fled. *