Ecuador's president Daniel Noboa came out unharmed following his presidential convoy was attacked by stone-throwing protesters and what authorities described as potential shots.
Noboa was inaugurating a water purification facility in the country's central region when his convoy was attacked by a large group demonstrating against rising energy costs.
About 500 people showed up and were throwing stones at him, and there are obviously gunshot impacts on the president's car
commented Ecuador's environment minister.
Authorities confirmed that five individuals were detained and would stand trial on terrorism charges – an crime carrying a maximum punishment of three decades in jail.
Recorded material released by the government shows protesters positioned in the street, covered in flags, rushing to collect large stones and building blocks.
As the presidential SUV drove by, projectiles slammed into the exterior and shattered glass.
A voice could be audible shouting: "Duck! Get down!" as the vehicle sped away.
Authorities said they were continuing to examine whether some of the damage on the president's protected vehicle were resulted from bullet impacts.
The alleged incident came amid days of progressively aggressive demonstrations triggered by a government decision to increase fuel costs.
Protesters have initiated work stoppages, obstructed highways and abducted sixteen military personnel – who were eventually freed without injury.
The country's biggest Indigenous organization stated that a demonstrator had been fatally injured by security personnel during one of the rallies.
More than 100 people, including protesters and security services, are believed to have been hurt in the violence.
The president has declared a state of emergency across several provinces.
The presidential administration stated on digital platforms after the incident that "such actions will not deter" the leader.
A senior official of the Organization of American States said that "such violent acts are an assault on democratic principles, stability, and the spirit of peaceful coexistence that must dominate in our nations."
Noboa is trying to cut diesel subsidies to conserve about $1bn in public expenditure, redirecting a significant portion of the savings to security funding.
Ecuador, previously regarded one of Latin America's safest countries, has experienced a significant increase in criminal activity in the past few years.
Strategically located between Colombia and Peru, two of the planet's biggest cocaine producers, Ecuador has transformed into a major transit hub for illegal drugs.
Authorities have alleged drug gangs of exacerbating the unrest, suggesting that criminal groups are exploiting the protests to disrupt the country.
Reports indicate that seventy percent of the world's cocaine supply transits via the country, a large portion of it headed for the US.
This business has attracted global crime syndicates, including Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, Italian mafia groups, and Albania's mafia.
Their competition for dominance of smuggling corridors has transformed Ecuador into one of the region's highest-risk locations.
Noboa has called for a referendum to permit the presence of US troops to the country, repealing a previous restriction on international military installations.
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