Fall of presidents reflects deep crisis in Ecuador
Lucio Gutierrez has become the third sacked elected president of Ecuador in recent years, which reflects the depth of the political and social crisis in the South American country.

Gutierrez left office on April 20 amidst mass protests which left three people dead and tens of others injured in capital Quito.

He was waiting at the Brazilian Embassy in Quito for a flight to Brazil, which on Thursday offered to grand asylum to the deposed president.

Ecuador's Congress sacked Gutierrez for dereliction of duty and appointed Vice President Alfredo Palacio as new president.

Before Gutierrez, in 1997, elected president Abdala Bucaram was sacked by the Congress for "mental insanity" after six months in office, and went into exile in Panama.

In 2000, then president Jamil Mahuad was ousted in a civic-military revolt, and fled to the United States.

In addition to the ousted presidents, former acting president Fabian Alarcon, in office from 1997 to 1998, went to jail for irregularities in his administration.

Ex-vice president Alberto Dahik, under the administration of president Sixto Duran, was accused of taking embezzlement and went into exile in Costa Rica.

Ex-president Gustavo Noboa, who succeeded Mahuad, was accused of causing 9 billion US dollars in damage to the country, in foreign debt-related negotiations.

Gutierrez was accused by political rivals of attempting to amass power by replacing Ecuador's Supreme Court. The situation deteriorated after he dissolved the Supreme Court again last week.

Meanwhile, investigators were looking into the bank accounts of Gutierrez, his wife, relatives, ministers and collaborators.

However, the new Ecuadorian government confirmed Thursday it will grant Gutierrez safe passage to Brazil, where he was seeking political asylum.

New Foreign Minister Antonio Parra told a press conference that the government is doing so in accordance with the International Convention on Political Asylum.