Ecuador''s President Rafael Correa, who''s been sequestered by insubordinated police officers at a police hospital, stressed that he will not back down from an austery law passed to benefit all workers.

"If you want to seize the barracks, if you want to leave citizens undefended, if you want to betray the mission of the police force, go ahead. But this government will do what has to be done. This president will not take a step back," enphasized Correa.

"If you want to kill the president, here he is. Kill him, if you want to. Kill him if you are brave enough," he said.

The president spoke from Quito's main barracks where he showed up to talk to the police that had insubordinated to protest a law that cuts benefits and eliminate perks for public servants. The dramatic events began Thursday morning.

Prior to this law that was passed by Parliament on Wednesday, the Correa Administration had raised the salary of police officers and security forces to USD $800.

He was forced to leave the barracks wearing a gas mask shortly afterwards when tear gas was fired at him by the protesters.

The president later came to the Metropolitan Hospital, a police medical institution, to be treated because he had twisted the leg on which he had recently undergone surgery.

In statements to Radio Publica, he said the insubordinated police had thrown tear gas at him. "One exploded near my face. It stunned me and my wife for a few seconds, probably minutes," he said. "I had to put on a gas mask and some cowards took it off me so I would suffocate," he added.

"I mean they shot at the president - it's incredible - our security forces, our national police."

"It is a coup attempt led by the opposition and certain sections of the armed forces and the police," he denounced. "Whatever happens to me I want to express my love for my family and my homeland."

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez later said Correa had told him by telephone that he had been "kidnapped" by angry police at the hospital and that they were making demands.

Despite the unrest, the head of the Armed Forces Joint Command, Gen Luis Ernesto Gonzalez Villarreal, reportedly said the troops remained loyal.

"We live in a state which is governed by laws, and we are subordinate to the highest authority which is the president of the republic," he said.

"We will take whatever appropriate action the government decides on," said the high ranking officer to a television broadcast.

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