This guy is a crook, he tried to take power years ago in a coup, and failed. Later he was elected President, and caused plenty of problems. He dissolved the Supreme Court twice, which led to his ousting, and now after country-hopping in South America looking for a safe place he has chosen to return to cause political turmoil in Ecuador.
As you say, ironic words coming from the guy who overthrew Jamil Mahuad and did it on Chavez' money.
UPDATE:
Gutiérrez’s Airplane departs again for Ecuador after "mechanical fault"
October 14, 2005
Ex-president Lucio Gutiérrez left Friday from Bogotá en route to Ecuador, after his first flight to had to return to Bogotá due to a mechanical fault, verified a photographer of the AFP that in accompanying the ex-chief executive in the return to his country.
Gutiérrez departed at 16h55 local (21h55 GMT) en route to the airport of Manta (260 km to the west of Quito) after changing airplanes at a military airport west of the Colombian capital.
The ex- chief executive is flying in company of other 16 people, among them his brother, ex-deputy Gílmar Gutiérrez, a group of journalists and defense counsels.
Minutes before taking off, the ex-commander declared to the AFP that he was aware that Manta’s Airport now is under military control. "We know of their presence, but nothing will hold us back", he indicated to us.
The first airplane that took to ex- president Lucio Gutiérrez on his return to Ecuador had to return to Bogota because of a "small mechanical difficulty", after about 20 minutes of flight, according to a photographer of the AFP who is accompaning to the ex-chief executive.
The ex-chief executive had left to 14h31 local (19h31 GMT) in the middle of a strong rainstorm covered Colombian capital.
In Manta, one of his lawyers, Luis Almeida, who is with Felipe Mantilla and other supporters of the ex-chief executive, confirmed to this newspaper that Gutiérrez will travel accompanied of 16 people, and it hopes that between 17h00 and 18h00 he will arrive at the airport.
Opinion: Something is fishy. I think there was probably an attempt on his life but it went wrong and the plane didn't go down. When Lucio gets to Ecuador one of two things will happen, he will be killed, or there will be a Civil War (my opinion). There are a couple of other ex-presidents in exile watching this closely to see if they should return also. A side note is the airport he is flying into is adjacent to a U.S. Air Base.
Gutiérrez returned "to show his face"
October 14, 2005
Ex-president Lucio Gutiérrez, was detained the moment he arrived at the airport of Manta, and said in his first declarations in Ecuador that he returned "a show his face" and to defend himself of the accusations that have appeared against him.
"I have not robbed anything, not even a single cent", he indicated and added that his return is due to "deep love to the country".
In addition, he assured that the accusations against him, "to put the security of the State at risk", are unjust and "do not have foundation" and assured that in his country a dictatorship exists.
Gutiérrez assured that he will comply with the order of arrest that he faces and will make himself available to the judicial authorities, and that they may investigate him and his alleged "attempt against the security of the State".
The ex-governor said that he will accept the proceedings, "even if they don’t go anywhere. Pitifully it is a totally illegal order and unconstitutional, and that once again these actions confirm the persecution that I face" he added.
Several journalists who accompanied to Gutiérrez from Bogotá, commented that when the ex-president arrived in Manta, he was “calm”.
Gutiérrez, who was dismissed from the Presidency of his country on April, 20th by Congress, with the accusation of "abandoning his position", was also accompanied of his brother, Gilmar.
Last April 20th, after dismissing Gutiérrez, Congress designated in his place Alfredo Palacio, who until that moment was the vice-president of the Republic and to whom the ex-chief executive accused of being "treasonous," " incapable," and a “usurper ".
After his exit from the presidency, Gutiérrez took refuge in the embassy of Brazil in Quito and later it traveled to Brasilia where he received asylum, but to which he resigned a few days later to go, in May, to the United States, where he denounced his exit of power was due to a "coup d'etat" and called on the Ecuadorian people to not recognize his successor.
Those declarations were interpreted by the then minister of Government (Inner) Mauricio Gándara, as expressions that denoted presumed interests of conspiracy, which is the reason why he accused the ex-governor "an attempt against the security of the State".
The denunciation became official in June in front of the Office of the public prosecutor, whereas the Superior Court of Quito, when it heard the denunciation, ordered the police to take custody of Gutiérrez while the investigation insued.
In August, Gutiérrez appeared in Aguas Verdes, Peru, on the border with Ecuador, from where he tried to enter his country, but he did not do it to, considering that his life was in danger.
The ex-president traveled to Bogotá, in the end of September, and requested the territorial asylum, which was granted and then resigned on Thursday.
Gutiérrez arrived today in Manta in an airplane chartered in Colombia, and was consequently arrested.