GENE RANDALL, CNN ANCHOR: There is a tense stand-off in Ecuador's capital, Quito: this after hundreds of Indian protesters, backed by young army officers, stormed the congress and supreme court buildings, declaring a new government. Joining us on the phone from Quito is Guy Hedgecoe of Bridge Newswire Service.</s>GUY HEDGECOE, BRIDGE NEWS: Well, we saw this morning several hundred Indians take over the congress building and the supreme court building with these young officers. We've also heard from the military high command, Carlos Mendoza, the defense minister, who is also the head of the armed forces, actually asked President Mahuad to resign today, presumably because his position is seen as untenable. However, President Mahuad then went on national TV giving an address saying he would not resign, and that anyone who wants him to would have to come and literally take him out of the presidential palace. Now in the -- around the president at the moment, there's a very tight military presence, awaiting the arrival -- the possible arrival of the indigenous groups and the breakaway military faction.</s>RANDALL: Guy, does the military hold the key to the situation, in your view?</s>HEDGECOE: It looks like it does, yes. The problem we have here, though, is we have the government on one hand -- several ministers have come out supporting President Mahuad -- and then also we have the military high command, who have asked Mahuad to resign. And then, on the other hand, we also have this breakaway faction of young officers, all slightly separate from each other. And it's very -- we'll be very to see how things turn out when and if the indigenous groups and the young officers arrive at the presidency, whether the soldiers up here actually let them pass or try and stop them.</s>RANDALL: Guy Hedgecoe in Quito, Ecuador, thanks very much.
Indian Protesters and Army Officers Attempt Coup in Ecuador