Ecuador's President Lucio Gutierrez last night lifted the state of emergency he declared less than 24 hours earlier in a gesture to pacify thousands of protesters in the country's capital.
The former army Colonel declared the city of Quito in a state of emergency late on Friday, giving the military authority to disband protests over his decision to dismiss the Supreme Court that his own allies in Congress had appointed in December.
Both decrees were met by howls from the opposition, who accuse Mr Gutierrez of grasping for dictatorial powers.
But state security forces did nothing to break up the thousands of protesters who gathered in the streets of Quito on Friday night and yesterday.
"I have lifted the state of emergency and ask for the maintenance of tranquillity and peace," the embattled president told a news conference.