We couldn't go in for a tour that day (fine with me) but we did get to experience another protest. This protest was from domestic workers who wanted more pay and access to government benefits. Apparently, protest is a way of life here. On any given day, some one will be protesting something. The country has been a democratic nation since 1830 (before us) but has had 500 presidents. They do not have a history of violent takeover, just get the president to take some money and get lost. The current president is trying to reform quite a lot right now and is unpopular with some. He has put civilian control on the police (the police tried to take him out in January but were stopped by the military) and is trying to reform the judicial system. One of the things he is attempting to do is stop blood animal sports (cock fighting) and this is a "cultural" issue. One guide described the president as crazy and another guide shrugged and thought it's just another day in Ecuador politics.
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