Ecuadorian police equipped with gas masks and launchers make a phone call near Quito's main square January 14 as security is stepped ahead of tomorrows protests by indigenous groups. Ecuador's security forces are bracing themselves for several days of protests after President Mahuad dollarized his country's economy in an effort to counter galloping inflation. The emergency measure has received a mixed welcome in Ecuador, with some supporting and others opposing the drastic step.

AW