Ecuador 1985.
Supporting the construction of a shrimp farm near El Morro, Guayas, I had the pleasure of receiving the local concejal, Carlos Ortiz, who came onto the site and declared “in the name of Abdalá Bucaram we requisition your D7’s immediately”.
I said “No, ask Abdala to talk to the owners of the equipment and when they come back on radio to me then I will release use”.
Concejal Ortiz went off in a huff and came back 3 hours later with 3 policemen.
He said “Abdala does not go to the people – the people go to Abdala. Get in the car we are going to Guayaquil.”
I got taken straight to prison in Guayaquil and was put in a 2m x 2m cell shared with 2 others. No seats or beds.
Released next day with apologies from police General with whom I shared a great shrimp ceviche for breakfast.
The bulldozers were for making a football pitch in El Morro.
