Ecuador - the personal perils of populism

President Rafael Correa of Ecuador is a brave man. Quite apart from kissing Hillary Clinton, which takes nerves of steel, yesterday he decided to face down mutinous police officers in their barracks. "I'm not taking one step back", he said when they advanced on him. "If you want to kill the president, here he is, kill him if you have the guts."

So they pelted him with stones and tear gas canisters, and Correa's bodyguards had to carry him from the scene to the nearby police hospital. The police surrounded it, still apparently wishing to take the president at his word, until an army unit came to break the siege.

The rebellion spread through the country, accompanied by widespread looting, but although some air force personnel tried to take over Quito international airport, the armed forces so far seem to be remaining loyal.

The cause of this unrest? Correa's attempt to reduce the cost of public administration by passing a law that, if implemented, will end the automatic award of medals and bonuses with each no less automatic promotion, which would take place every seven years rather than the current five.

Drinks all round at Britain's Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO).