(CNN) -- A group of South American leaders Friday condemned an "attempted coup" in Ecuador and praised troops for rescuing the country's president in a shootout with police.
In a statement issued after an emergency meeting in Argentina, the group of presidents and top officials pledged to send their foreign ministers to Ecuador later Friday to show support for President Rafael Correa, whom police allegedly kidnapped Thursday in an attempt to force him to revoke a new law.
Hours after the rescue, Correa repeated his claim that compensation issues were merely a pretext for police to kidnap him and try to overthrow his government.
"It was an attempt and a perfectly coordinated conspiracy," he said late Thursday.
Two people died in clashes between police and the military after hundreds of troops arrived at a hospital outside the country's capital to rescue Correa on Thursday night, Ecuador's Red Cross reported. At least 88 people were injured in unrest throughout the country.
CNN
