Quito, August 17 (teleSUR-RHC)-- Ecuador's Armed Forces revealed via tweeter that 11 soldiers and police officers were injured Saturday after being attacked with live ammunition as they attempted to clear an illegal roadblock in the Amazonian province of Morona Santiago. 

The roadblock had been set up as part of opposition protests against the government of elected president Rafael Correa. Officials confirmed that six people had been arrested as a result.
On Saturday, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa criticized the organizers of the opposition demonstrations for their role in promoting violence, which resulted in more than 80 police and several journalists being injured.

Ecuador's capital was rocked by violent protests Thursday which formed part of what a segment of the indigenous movement and opposition-aligned trade unions were calling an “uprising” and “work stoppage.”

Government supporters classified Thursday's protests as an effort to destabilize the democratically-elected government.

Despite various opposition groups coming together, those opposed to the government failed in their objective to oust the government, which President Correa classified August 13th as “historic” victory for the country's democracy.

Correa expressed dismay at the violence exhibited by opposition demonstrators during his weekly television program broadcast from the province of Imbabura.

“I've never seen them so violent, so aggressive,” declared Correa, adding that “those who used violence will be punished with the full rigor of the law."
 
The president reserved some of his harshest criticisms for leaders of opposition indigenous organizations, who despite previous assurances that the action would be peaceful and was not aimed at ousting the government, participated in inciting the violence.

Ecuarunari president Carlos Perez was caught on camera encouraging protesters to storm the plaza where government supporters had gathered. Responding to this call, opposition demonstrators — including the Governor of Zamora, Salvador Quishpe — violently attacked police, who endured attacks with sticks, poles, steel barricades, fireworks, and firebombs.

Quishpe, who was seen attacking police lines using the barricades, became covered in soot from the burning tires placed in front of police by demonstrators. The opposition politician subsequently claimed that he been beaten by police.

President Correa also heavily criticized the logic of the organizers of Thursday's actions, saying the shutting down highways only harmed ordinary Ecuadoreans instead of causing harm to the government.

Correa blasted statements from protest organizers Jorge Herrera of the Conaie Indigenous group and Perez of Ecuarunari. Herrera called on the National Assembly to withdraw a series of proposed constitutional amendments currently under discussion, while Perez demanded Correa resign – despite the fact that Correa maintains high levels of popular support.

The leaders warned they would continue their protests and threatened to escalate their actions if their demands were not met.  "This president does not accept blackmail from anyone,” said Correa responded.

Correa criticized the hypocrisy of right-wing politicians, such as right-wing former banker Guillermo Lasso and Guayaquil mayor Jaime Nebot, who declared their support for the protests despite historically opposing the demands made by those who organized Thursday's protests.

The president warned that these types of protests were likely to continue as part of a concerted effort to wear down the government.